Experian’s Usage of Marketing Data

Updated: January 30, 2018

About Experian Marketing Services, LLC
Experian Marketing Solutions, LLC (“Experian” or “we”) is a leading global provider of consumer data and insights helping companies and organizations interact and engage intelligently with today’s empowered and connected consumers. Using our data and technology, organizations provide personalized and targeted offers and messages across all marketing channels to deepen customer loyalty by providing consumers more relevant products and services.

Experian is a trusted partner for the world’s most recognizable brands. We serve industries like retail, financial services, telecommunications, insurance, travel and hospitality, media and entertainment, and consumer products — as well as advertising agencies and other marketing services providers that serve these industries.

Our Data
It all starts with data. Experian draws on five decades of experience providing organizations with marketing products, services and insights derived from consumer information. We maintain and analyze information about consumer buying decisions, and we also collect consumer information from original sources. These sources include self-reported consumer survey information, aggregated consumer panel data, information from websites and mobile apps, and public records and historical retail purchases. We also have consumer information that is inferred from other data using statistical analysis.

The common types of consumer information Experian maintains are listed below, with examples from these general categories:

• Demographics — age, gender, marital status, income, occupation and education
• Behavioral and lifestyle — hobbies, sporting activities, travel preferences, high-tech equipment users and purchasing behavior
• Census — median age, wealth rating and median income
• Realty — information from local property records like dwelling unit type, purchase price, mortgage amount, loan type and date, prevailing interest at time of sale, and property characteristics
• Life events — consumers who have recently moved or purchased a home
• Online interests — information about categories of consumer interests derived from online usage

Experian Marketing Services’ data comes from sources such as:

• Local tax assessor and recorded deed files
• Consumer surveys
• Telephone directories
• Publications, subscriptions and published directories
• Summarized U.S. Census information
• Calculations using existing data
• Online and mobile sites, apps, and advertisements
• Other authorized data providers

From our data sources, as well as calculations and insights from it, we also derive information pertaining to:

• Individual consumers, such as:
  • Gender
  • Marital status
  • Estimated age range
  • Occupation
  • Education level
  • Household status (head of household, spouse, elderly parent, young adult)
• Households, such as:
  • Dwelling type and size
  • Whether a household rents or owns a home
  • The estimated value of a home
  • Length of residence
  • New homeowner
  • Number of adults
  • Telephone number
  • Presence of children
  • Estimated household income
  • Lifestyle interests (e.g., PC owner, frequent traveler, golfer, domestic travel, amusement park visitor)
• Geographic information about individuals and households, such as:
  • Address
  • Census tract, block group, etc.
  • Postal breakdowns (ZIP, ZIP+4, carrier route)
  • Census estimated projections
  • Location information from mobile devices and/or online and mobile app activity

Our Data Collection Practices
Experian is a leader in the marketing services industry, so we adopt and implement best practices and diligently seek to follow all laws governing the acquisition, compilation and distribution of consumer data. These practices include careful screening of data sources, ongoing internal audits, and appropriate consumer notice and choice.

Our Data Quality
Experian employs rigorous data testing, including applying proprietary models and algorithms, in our efforts to maintain only the most accurate data. We have developed proprietary confidence codes to help us maintain the most complete and high-quality consumer information available. Our processes assure proper consideration is given to consumer interests, laws, industry rules, regulations, and guidelines and ethical principles that affect our data usage.

Our Approach to Privacy
Experian is a steward of the information it collects, maintains, utilizes and shares. Our stewardship is anchored in a values-based approach to privacy that focuses on the protection of information in our care and the safeguarding of consumer privacy through appropriate and responsible use. For more information regarding our approach to privacy, please visit our dedicated privacy policy website.