Reimagining First-Party Data Activation For a Privacy-First Insurance Market

Client: Saga Plc

Saga Insurance redefined how first-party data can be activated for advertising in a highly regulated, privacy-first insurance market. Saga set out to unlock the full value of its rich customer data while retaining complete control and trust.

In partnership with AUDIENCES, Saga deployed a cloud-native activation solution operating entirely within its own infrastructure. This eliminated data movement, removed third-party data costs, and enabled real-time, privacy-safe audience activation across channels. This shift transformed Saga’s marketing from static audience targeting to dynamic, in-cloud decisioning. Live segmentation enabled precise suppression of existing customers, smarter acquisition through high-value lookalikes, and effective cross-sell and lifecycle engagement strategies. First-party data became an always-on optimisation engine rather than a retrospective reporting tool. The impact was significant and repeatable. Saga achieved a double digit improvement in ROAS by reducing wasted spend and reinvesting in higher-value prospects. Cost per quote decreased across products through more intelligent targeting and segmentation. The approach extended into CTV via Sky AdSmart, where first-party seeded lookalike audiences delivered 42% higher uplift versus unexposed households and nearly double the visit rate compared to third-party data. Renewal audiences were over 3.3x more likely to drive response. This work sets a new benchmark for the insurance industry, demonstrating how first-party data can be activated responsibly, securely, and effectively balancing privacy, performance, and scalability in a post-GDPR world.