First-Party Data Feeds Sustainable Growth for Brands in Southeast Asia
Despite the rollback on deprecating third-party cookies, marketers are still prioritising first-party data for several reasons: trust, transparency and a renewed focus on sustainable retention and measurable growth.
Google isn’t killing third party cookies. So, why are marketers in Southeast Asia still building first party data capabilities?
Marketers have discovered that first-party data is the most trustworthy and relevant approach to understand your brand’s target audience, engagement, purchase process and the best way to reach them.
Instead of focusing on tracking users by their devices, brands that can gather information directly from customers are in a position to leverage this data to feed predictive models and better forecast what a customer might purchase next. Even if third-party cookies are not deprecated, regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and others will continue to shape the data landscape. Focusing on first-party data helps marketers comply with these regulations and future-proof their data strategies.
In the current dynamic privacy landscape, brands that showcase transparency are proactively building trust rather than fending off compliance issues. The discerning Southeast Asian customer is aware of this subtle but critical difference. This move isn’t just a future-forward one; it can be a keen competitive advantage.
According to Alin Dobrea, Marketing Director at ZALORA Group in Singapore, “By collecting data through transparent and direct communication, and offering customers something of value in return—such as personalised recommendations, loyalty discounts, or exclusive access—brands can encourage customers to share their information willingly. In fact, over half of customers are more likely to share data if they receive something in exchange, highlighting the importance of value exchange in data collection strategies.”
As personalisation and customer experience continue to be a brand priority, first-party data enables marketers to create highly relevant experiences that leads to increased engagement, loyalty, and ultimately, revenue growth.
Read more: Marketer Priorities for 2025
The First-Party Data Benefits Far Outweigh The Effort
Data quality and reliability: First-party data is collected directly from customers, making it more accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Marketers can be confident in the data’s quality, reducing the risk of incorrect targeting or personalisation.
Customer trust and transparency: Collecting first-party data allows marketers to be transparent about their data collection practices, building trust with customers. This transparency fosters stronger relationships and encourages customers to share more data willingly.
Improved ROI measurement and optimisation: With first-party data, marketers can better measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and optimise their marketing spend for improved ROI.
Monetisation and revenue growth: First-party data can be leveraged to create new revenue streams, such as data-driven advertising, sponsored content, and personalised product recommendations.
Enhanced customer insights: First-party data provides rich, contextual insights into customer behaviour, preferences, and needs. Marketers can use these insights to inform product development, improve customer service, and refine their marketing strategies.
Establishing A Single Source of Truth
Brand leaders looking to capitalise on this trend must first get their data house in order. This means overcoming a universal business challenge – unifying data from diverse sources. As customer interactions span multiple channels and touchpoints, this challenge grows. To address this, marketers need to prioritise the integration of data systems and ensure compliance within privacy regulations. By breaking down data silos and focusing on data quality, marketers can establish a reliable foundation for all their customer interactions.
Establish a consolidated view of your customer’s data, says Alin. “Utilising sophisticated CRM platforms can support this effort by providing a unified view of the customer, offering real-time data analytics. Best in class CRM platforms can collect, unify, and activate data from any source, enabling them to build holistic views of each customer and act instantaneously, thus improving the brand-customer relationship.”
The Future is Personalised
In Southeast Asia, companies like Lazada, Shopee, and Zalora are already leveraging first-party data to offer personalised product recommendations, exclusive discounts, and seamless shopping experiences.
As marketers in Southeast Asia continue to adapt to the changing data landscape, they’re poised to unlock new opportunities for growth, innovation, and customer connection. By prioritising first-party data, integrating data systems, and delivering personalised experiences, marketers can build stronger, more meaningful relationships with their customers and drive long-term success in the region.
Simrat Sawhney, Vice President, Sales & Client Growth, Asia at Epsilon said, “In today’s evolving digital landscape, first-party data is not just an asset, it’s the foundation for sustainable growth. At Epsilon, we empower brands to leverage this valuable resource to its full potential.”
“Our unique ability to connect first-party data with a rich ecosystem of online and offline signals allows us to deliver personalised experiences across the entire customer journey, even on platforms like Safari where traditional targeting methods fall short. By focusing on data quality, transparency, and delivering measurable results, we help brands build lasting customer relationships and drive significant ROI.”
