No matter how varied the industries his clients are in, Michael Hannay provides singular expertise on ways they can use data to excel. Throughout nearly three decades of experience in data-driven marketing, Hannay has delivered expert insight to clients in automotive, financial services, insurance, telecommunications, and more. He launched his career as a manager at Direct Marketing Systems, then went on to serve in various leadership positions at companies such as Adrea Rubin Marketing, Equifax, and List Services Corporation.

Hannay, now senior vice president, data practice, at Epsilon, joined the DMCNY Board as a director in 2018—having been a member of the club for several years. This year, he’s also Chair of the EDGE Awards committee for Marketing EDGE.

In this conversation, he shares insights from his career journey, as well as peering into marketing’s future.

Why marketing?

I thought my career trajectory was going to take me into the advertising realm. We have a family manufacturing business in upstate New York, and my father ran the sales and marketing side of it, so he was always teaching me about PR, print advertising, copywriting, etc. In college, I read a book called The Direct Marketing Handbook, by Edward L. Nash, and the lightbulb turned on for me.

What has been the biggest accomplishment of your career so far?

Hiring talented associates that I’ve had the privilege to help mentor and develop. It’s been my greatest accomplishment to reflect on where these marketing professionals are today and the companies that they represent. Some still are part of my existing teams today!

As someone who has led numerous teams, what do you think are the most important qualities for a marketing leader today?

You need to be able to look at a situation, quickly assess it, and consult with the people around you. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. If you surround yourself with intelligent people, they will help influence your decisions. You just need the authenticity to carry them with you.

What advice would you have given your younger self when entering marketing? 

Be willing to take risks. Move out of your comfort zone, whether that’s what you think you know or the geography you’re most familiar with. Doing that tests you, refines your skills, and makes you a more rounded individual.

If you could run marketing for anything other than your current business, what would it be? 

I’m a huge motorcycle guy, so I would work for Indian Motorcycles, which is a subsidiary of Polaris Industries. One of my favorite bikes I own is the Indian Scout Bobber…no frills but all business.

What’s the biggest challenge facing data-driven marketing right now?

Privacy. Eventually, the government should step in and make one overarching regulation much like GDPR in Europe.  I would suggest this is a better outcome for our industry than states taking their own actions like CCPA in California. As an industry, we’re trying to stay ahead of it, but the biggest challenge is going to continue to be privacy for some time to come.

Give one prediction on the future of marketing.

Keep watching these four: Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple. They are going to continue to get bigger and bigger. They are huge global players. As they go, marketing will go with them.

What does the future hold for you?

The opportunity to continue learning new things is something important to me, so I plan to continue studying the digital ecosystem and how my company and new technologies interact. I also want to take that knowledge and use it to continue mentoring younger people as they enter the industry.

What do you enjoy the most about being a member of DMCNY, and why? 

Being connected. Even though I’m not inside New York City, I am a part of the DMCNY network that extends beyond the 5 Boroughs. I have always attended events, and I share camaraderie with friends who I have known there for years.