In a pivotal moment for the marketing industry, Bob Liodice, CEO of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), has issued a resounding call to action in an email to the brand marketer community. With weeks remaining before a potential watershed moment, Liodice is urging marketers to join forces and block the impending data deletion bill, SB 362, currently under consideration in California's legislature.

The ramifications of SB 362 loom large, casting a shadow over every marketer reliant on data-driven strategies to engage potential customers, assess campaign efficacy, ensure data hygiene, and foster sales within California, the nation's most populous state. The urgency of the situation is palpable, as the Assembly Appropriations Committee gears up for a critical decision that could forever alter the marketing landscape.

The bill, authored by Senator Josh Becker of Senate District 13, is set to establish a government-mandated "kill switch." If enacted, this legislation would compel California's vast array of data brokers to permanently erase information at the request of any California consumer. The repercussions for the state's data marketplace could be severe, leaving in its wake a shadow of the robust ecosystem that exists today.

Furthermore, the legislation's potential to enable a flood of mass deletion requests is a cause for concern. This provision permits self-interested companies and pay-to-play privacy services to initiate deletion requests on behalf of larger consumer groups, potentially rendering the data marketplace fragmented and unreliable.

Liodice's impassioned call to action underlines the profound implications of SB 362. As residents' data is systematically deleted, the remaining datasets risk deterioration, becoming marred by inaccuracies, incompleteness, and unreliability. The potential consequences for advertisers are far-reaching, potentially hindering their ability to effectively reach, engage, and serve their target audiences.

The proposed bill threatens marketers' ability to:

1. Locate and engage deleted consumers in marketing campaigns.

2. Accurately gauge campaign effectiveness among key audiences due to lost data.

3. Utilize deleted datasets for internal database enhancement and maintenance.

4. Identify current and prospective customers when essential data is no longer available.

Liodice underscores the possibility of SB 362's national reverberations, serving as an ominous precedent that other states might be inclined to follow.

The call to action is clear: Marketers must raise their voices to convey concerns to Senator Becker and the legislative committee responsible for SB 362's evaluation. The ANA highlights the importance of emphasizing the pivotal role consumer data plays in driving marketing efforts, as well as the broader implications for businesses and sectors beyond marketing. In light of the complexity and potential unintended consequences, the ANA further advocates for the postponement of SB 362's consideration until the 2024 session, allowing for thorough examination and thoughtful resolution of the intricate issues at stake.

Liodice believes the future of data-driven marketing hangs in the balance, and his rallying cry signifies a critical juncture for marketers to unite, engage, and preserve the integrity of the industry in the face of potentially disruptive legislation.