Independent creative & content collective, DNA, today announced it has acquired the award-winning content and distribution platform, the Digital News Agency, from The Economist.
Since the acquisition, DNA has reinvested and reimagined the platform, making it one of the most intuitive, innovative and powerful products on the market, making it the ideal platform for not only PR and communications teams but also for marketing and brand teams.
DNA CEO Gabriella Bord believes there is huge potential for the platform as it’s challenging the way things have been done, hence why she’s positioning it at the very heart of her business.
Gabriella explains: “I’m thrilled we’ve been able to bring the DNA into our business, as it’s a really powerful platform that is a joy to use due to its intuitive UX. We believe in this tool and understand the value it brings to brand and comms teams – both big and small. We’ve spent the last 12-months reinventing the business and investing heavily in the platform, so what we now have is a hybrid tool that brings the best features of PR Software and DAM together – built for marketing, PR & Comms and brand teams.”
Gabby continues; “The DNA will simplify the everyday and time-consuming tasks, and workflows that we know oh so well. From publishing and distributing stories on the fly, to collaborating and approving assets, sharing broadcast quality files and creating media lists for distribution – now we can do all of this and so much more – from one easy-to-use platform.”
Amongst the new features are:
The introduction of purposeful AI for advanced search, image upscaling and media file optimisation and tagging
Built-in file sharing that can be managed and shared both internally and externally, with useful permissions settings
A studio space where teams can collaborate on assets, provide feedback and manage approvals
Content expiry dates so content is automatically moved to Archive when usage rights or licences expire
Markets and Language settings to support localised content
Josie Madoc, Content Strategy & Activation Lead at Vodafone Business comments; “We work closely with the team at DNA to create small business advisory content for our V-Hub service which we then distribute across 15 markets. The quality of the content and the relationship we have with them is second to none. Not only that, we’ve created our own internal content hosting platform which is going to make the process of sharing all the great assets with our teams around the world quick and easy – saving us loads of time and effort!”
Raluca Bosinceanu, Marketing Manager at LØCI says; “Working with DNA has been an absolute game-changer for us at LØCI. As a platform dedicated to sharing compelling stories and informative content, DNA has become our go-to destination for all our articles, press releases, and campaign needs.”
She continues; “The team at DNA has been nothing short of phenomenal. Their dedication to understanding our vision and accommodating our every need has made the collaboration seamless and enjoyable. From brainstorming sessions to the final execution, they have been with us every step of the way, ensuring that our stories are not just told but resonate deeply with our audience.”
Alongside its content hosting and distribution platform, DNA also creates content. With a collective of over 200 expert strategists, copywriters, designers and developers, DNA is primed to help create the perfect multimedia content from a blog post to strategic brand campaigns.
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For more information on the DNA or if you’d like to book a demo, drop the team an email at hello@dna.online.
About DNA
DNA is crafting the future of brand communications. From seamless file sharing and collaboration to streamlined content management and borderless distribution, it partners with inspiring brands of all sizes to unlock their full potential. The DNA is an ever evolving platform, designed to change the game for Marketing, PR and Brand teams, as well as those in the future.
And The DNA doesn’t just host. It creates. Tap into its collective of over 200+ expert strategists, copywriters, designers and developers, who are primed to help you create the perfect multimedia content.
SplitMetrics, an Apple Search Ads Partner, has announced the launch of SplitMetrics Acquire Starter Plan. This free optimization solution is designed for mobile marketing professionals at small and growing businesses to effectively manage and automate Apple Search Ads campaigns.
With a completely free SplitMetrics Acquire Starter Plan, mobile growth professionals can effectively scale their campaigns and achieve improved profitability, decreased CPA, and reduced workload through automation. The platform’s advanced technology, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, provides actionable insights and suggestions for optimal campaign performance.
SplitMetrics Acquire is a top-tier Apple Search Ads optimization platform that helps to run campaigns profitably and scale with the channel. It offers a comprehensive ML & AI-based data engine for Apple Search Ads, with extensive MMP integrations and unique insights, including keyword and market intelligence. The platform also provides a full-funnel dashboard, bulk actions, keyword revenue tracking, custom product page reporting, competitor data and more.
With the ability to manage Apple Search Ads ad spend up to $25,000 monthly via SplitMetrics Acquire and add 20,000 keywords, the free SplitMetrics Acquire Starter Plan offers a rich, ready-to-use dataset for small teams to build out their campaign structure smartly and run ads profitably. SplitMetrics Acquire is also well-known for extended automation capabilities that help app marketers reduce workload, while growing ROAS (return on ad spend) and revenue, and lowering cost per acquisition.
SplitMetrics Acquire is trusted by leading companies and brands worldwide, offering extensive expertise with Apple Search Ads, and through managing an annual advertiser spend of more than $400M. The SplitMetrics Acquire platform offers a self-serve user experience, allowing mobile growth & UA specialists to manage and automate Apple Search Ads campaigns.
Grete Ling, Head of Product Marketing at SplitMetrics, said: “At SplitMetrics, we understand the challenges that small and growing businesses face in managing their mobile marketing campaigns. That’s why we’re excited to launch the SplitMetrics Acquire Starter Plan, a free optimization solution designed to help mobile marketing professionals manage and automate their Apple Search Ads campaigns. With our ML & AI-based data engine, full-funnel dashboard, and extended automation capabilities, we’re confident that small teams can build out their campaign structure smartly and run ads profitably. The Starter Plan’s goal is to empower SMBs to succeed in a competitive mobile world and achieve their growth goals with ease.”
AmpAi turns anyone into a data scientist with Generative AI by providing access to a data foundation prepared by AI
Thursday, March 7, 2024 – Amperity, the leading AI enterprise customer data platform (CDP) for consumer brands, today announced two new generative AI capabilities, Explore and Assist, that join existing AI-powered capabilities, Stitch and Predict, to create a comprehensive suite collectively known as AmpAi. Amperity is focused on fixing the data quality and access challenges many brands face with traditional CDPs. With AmpAi, brands can be confident that they are making decisions based on a trusted data foundation to determine the best way to engage with customers and power downstream AI technologies.
Today’s CDPs typically outsource or minimize the work that is required to clean and organize customer data. This leads to poor data quality, made worse by the inherent nature of messy online and offline customer data. Furthermore, trying to resolve identities as customers change channels, households, names and contact details has become nearly impossible for CDPs as privacy rights restrict device and online data.
With AI and machine learning at its core, Amperity has charted its own path by solving the biggest data challenges for over 400 brands, to help them connect the customer journey and make smart business decisions. Now, Amperity is introducing new Generative AI capabilities to add a critical intelligence layer to enable all technical and business users to get the most out of their customer data.
“We’re on the cusp of a transformative shift in how brands interact with their customer data. For too long, the complexity of data queries and segment creation has been a barrier, consuming valuable time that could be spent on strategic initiatives,” said Barry Padgett, CEO at Amperity. “With Generative AI, we are empowering all users to be data scientists by democratizing data usage and making customer insights accessible across the organization. We’re not just helping brands save time; we’re empowering every team member to drive value and make informed decisions based on a trusted data foundation.”
Screen Shot
AmpAi – Grounded in Product Truth
The foundation of AmpAi is built on Amperity’s patented Stitch and predictive modeling capabilities. Now the company is introducing Assist and Explore, two new Generative AI products as part of the AmpAi suite.
Assist supports marketers, analysts, and data operators with creating marketing workflows more quickly. The first product within Assist is Ai Assistant, which removes the barriers to creating SQL queries and fixing potential errors within those queries.
“Before Ai Assistant, we turned to our developers to write SQL, often with a turnaround time of days. With Ai Assistant, my team can write queries and provide answers to Bobit’s leadership in a matter of minutes,” said Zainub Sareea, vice president, product at Bobit. “Ai Assistant has pushed us to be more data driven and empowers my team.”
Explore is all about enabling business users across the organization to access and use customer data. AmpGPT, the first product in Explore, empowers marketers to interact with their data using natural language.
For instance, with AmpGPT, business users can ask questions such as:
“How many loyalty members are predicted to spend more than $1000 this year?”
“Who are my high value customers who have not made a purchase in 2024?”
Explore – Empowers everyone across the organization by operating off of the same data truth to make decisions like a business owner with natural language.
Predict – Helps marketers understand what they need to do to keep the customers they have and make them even more profitable.
For Technical Users
Stitch – Unifies all data sources to create the highest data quality foundation to make business decisions.
Assist – Enables non-technical users and analysts to be more productive by building and customizing new data assets on the Amperity platform.
The company will introduce more products under Assist and Explore in the coming months to help further democratize customer data and make it accessible to all users in a privacy-safe way.
“Generative AI is revolutionizing the business landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities for brands to harness customer data in innovative ways,” said David Wallace, research director, customer data and analytics at IDC. “With the ability to analyze vast datasets, generate predictive models, and improve customer insights, AI is a requirement for business decision-makers considering the adoption of CDPs. The combination of Generative and Predictive AI represents a seismic shift in how organizations interact with customer data, moving from reactive analysis to automated and proactive engagement strategies that improve customer experiences.”
Amperity delivers the data confidence brands need to unlock growth by truly knowing their customers. With Amperity, brands can build a first-party data foundation to fuel customer acquisition and retention, personalize experiences that build loyalty, and manage privacy compliance. Using patented AI and ML methods, Amperity stitches together all customer interactions to build a unified view that seamlessly connects to marketing and technology tools. More than 400 brands worldwide rely on Amperity to turn data into business value, including Alaska Airlines, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Endeavour Drinks, Planet Fitness, Seattle Sounders FC, Under Armour and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Amperity, a global company, has offices in Seattle, New York City, London and Melbourne. For more information, visit amperity.com or follow us on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The theme for this year’s International Women’s day, Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress establishes a poignant tone for fostering authentic change. It mirrors the dynamic landscape of today’s data-driven environment where change is the only constant. The last third-party cookie has finally crumbled, privacy laws are tightening and now, Generative AI is quickly ushering in a new era of innovation and adaptation.
With mounting research demonstrating that gender diverse teams outperform their peers time and time again, we turned the conversation over to the exceptional women thought leaders who are at the forefront of shaping the narrative surrounding Gen AI and marketing.
Gately has 20 years of experience in B2B technology content, communications, events, and services marketing. She helps Forrester clients build and optimise their B2B content engines and transform them into competitive differentiators. Lisa is an evangelist for audience-centric content strategy, content marketing, and content operations.
“During the past year, we’ve seen Gen AI capabilities appear in the martech stack along with a rise of multimodal capabilities, where AI models can understand, interpret, and generate content across multiple formats like text, images, audio, and video. It can be overwhelming to understand which systems do what tasks and to determine which ones to embrace. However, making time to learn about these capabilities is important. Gen AI brings more power to content creation, audience engagement, and personalisation. Content use cases aren’t only a practical entry point for scaling Gen AI adoption; they also represent a large part of an organisations’ activities and offer enormous potential for enhancing the customer experience and speeding time to market. Acting now is essential because the pace of change for Gen AI will only accelerate.”
Shainock is responsible for developing Microsoft’s point of view and future strategy for our WW Travel and Transport Industry. She is focused on leading the airlines, hospitality companies, cruise and freight logistics and rail companies to driving innovation that will enhance the customer and employee journey, while driving increased productivity and cost reduction with the use of Microsoft’s technology and its ecosystem of solution partners.
“Generative AI is set to revolutionise the Travel, Transport, and Logistics industries by delivering unprecedented levels of personalisation, efficiency, and innovation. It’s not just about automation; it’s about creating intuitive, seamless customer experiences and unlocking new levels of operational efficiency. For organisations to tackle the full potential of Gen AI effectively, establishing a clean data foundation and a clear strategic vision for desired outcomes is critical.”
Aviram is an award-winning digital marketer and a Senior Manager in Deloitte Digital’s Advertising, Marketing and E-Commerce offering. Beyond her career, she is a dedicated Fellow at The Black Wealth Club (BWC), actively contributing to the group’s mission of wealth generation and community reinvestment.
“The only thing constant in marketing, much like in every field, is change. Reflecting on one of my initial roles as a search marketer, I can draw some parallels. I had no formal training in search marketing, and the idea of learning an entire system to advertise on search engines seemed bizarre. Now, much of that same field is supported by generative AI. I’m excited for all the things Gen AI will enable for marketers. It will allow us to focus on more strategic, less repetitive, and energizing areas of our work. However, marketing will always need the human element. Customer experience, by its very nature, is human, and Gen AI will not stand in the way of that.”
Gordon leads Amperity’s generative AI product development and strategy. She’s also worked on the product development for many investments across the ML and ML Ops spaces, including launching Amperity’s predictive models and infrastructure used by many of the world’s top brands.
“Gen AI is only as good as the data that powers it. And since customer data is notoriously complex, it takes a different AI process to unify it into accurate, comprehensive profiles that can feed your Generative AI tools to get the best results.
Customer data tools can use AI to power critical processes behind the scenes, including data unification, insights, and predictions, so you have the answers to the questions “Who are my customers? What did they do? And what should I do next?”
In a world where the same Generative AI tools for activation are available to everyone, the data you feed into your Gen AI systems will be a key competitive differentiator, since it determines the quality of the output. In short, it’s not enough to have AI tools at the last mile — it needs to be part of your approach from the first step.”
Sperti is a highly seasoned and regarded digital and eCommerce leader with over 20 years’ experience working with and for leading brands including Coles, Officeworks and World Vision among others. Since establishing Arktic Fox four years ago, Teresa and her team have been partnering with leading brands and scale up retailers and CPG | FMCG brands to drive eCommerce adoption and capability build, to enable better utilisation of data to enhance experience and deliver better omnichannel experiences and supported brands to utilise and invest in tech to underpin their strategy.
“There are pivotal moments in the digital era that fundamentally alter the trajectory of the industry – the birth of social media and the launch of the iPhone were some of those moments. And I believe the launch of ChatGPT is another one that really lit a match to the adoption of Gen AI.
“In the tech world, we are already seeing strong adoption of Gen AI within marketing platform interfaces to automate creative development and support and enable smarter decision making. However, it is still very much the early days for Gen AI , and I think we’re just scratching the surface. Brace yourself for a whirlwind of change in this space over the next 12 to 24 months.”
The Future of Gen AI in Marketing
The female leaders in marketing have spoken, and their insights demonstrate the importance of embracing Gen AI not only as a tool for innovation but as a fundamental pillar for cultivating growth and establishing meaningful relationships within the rapidly transforming marketing landscape. Let’s make 2024 the year we harness Gen AI to its fullest potential and unleash lasting, genuine change for the better.
About Amperity
Amperity delivers the data confidence brands need to unlock growth by truly knowing their customers. With Amperity, brands can build a unified customer profile foundation powered by first-party data to fuel customer acquisition and retention, personalize experiences that build loyalty, and manage privacy compliance. Using patented AI and machine learning methods, Amperity stitches together all customer interactions to build a unified view that seamlessly connects to marketing and technology tools. More than 400 brands worldwide rely on Amperity to turn data into business value, including Alaska Airlines, Brooks Running, Endeavour Drinks, Planet Fitness, Seattle Sounders FC, Under Armour and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. For more information, please visit www.amperity.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Celebrating 13 years as one of the UK’s leading experiential events agencies, Meet and Potato’s Founder and CEO, Jon Kelly looks back on their reign to date and explains why unlucky for some 13 has actually been quite the opposite for this Liverpool powerhouse.
Why did you create Meet & Potato?
“I originally set up M&P because at the time I hated how agencies were structured. I wanted to create something different, an environment with a relatively flat hierarchy in which everybody had an equal voice. Thirteen years ago, this was a relatively new approach, these days it’s more common and that’s a good thing. M&P has always been a safe space, encouraging personal growth and a place for people to thrive. The bottom line was never my focus, the team was because I firmly believe if you take care of your people, they will take care of the business.
Why do you feel you have had a great 13 years? It’s been quite the ride with ups and downs along the way, but I’m pleased to say it’s been mostly ups. The industry has seen many changes over the years, we’ve learned a lot and adapted. We’ve never been what you call a big agency and I think in many ways that’s been our strength. We’re agile and our flat, no-hierarchical structure has meant we can be responsive in ways large agencies can’t. We’ve also had the unwavering support of clients that allows us to take risks.
Is the number 13 unlucky?
I’m not superstitious so the number has no negative connotations for me, quite the opposite. I once put money on number 13 at the roulette wheel in a Maltese casino during a client event wrap party and I won! 13 has been my lucky number ever since.
With 13 in mind, what 13 points would you share with others that have enabled you to drive M&P to success over the years:
Have a clear purpose. What are you trying to achieve, who do you want to attract and what do you want to do. This will guide you in the early days and will act as your guiding light.
Do things differently. It’s often a cliche but don’t be afraid to challenge the norm. That doesn’t have to just be in terms of service offering, it can be how you operate your business, what you offer staff, how your business behaves etc.
Invest in your team. Without them, your business does not operate. Pick the gems and treat them properly because it’s their dedication, creativity and hard work that drives your business forward.
Values. Having clear values that you and your team live by is essential and guides all business decisions. At M&P we all care deeply about what we do, always aiming above client expectations, and we embody the agency values:
We are creative.
We are passionate.
We are knowledgeable.
We are fun!
Pinpoint Your Proposition. Nail what you do and make it clear to potential clients. For us, we create moments of magic that leave a lasting impression. This sits at the heart of everything we do, we want our live events, creative content, and communications campaigns to be remembered for a long time.
Pick Your Clients Wisely. It’s a two-way street with clients and you want to work with brands that are on the same page as you as this will enable long-lasting and successful relationships. Several of our clients have been with M&P for more than a decade. Not many agencies can share those levels of retention, and it makes me super proud as their unwavering support allows us to be bold when proposing creative solutions. Now when we go after new clients, we need to be sure we can bring our M&P magic to them.
Trust Is Intrinsic. Our policy of total honesty and transparency with our clients is part of the reason they keep us around and I really believe every business would benefit from this approach. This enables you to truly understand the brands you work with and allows the client to trust us to challenge their internal teams to step outside their comfort zone and collaborate to deliver something new.
Great Expectations. Push the boundaries and set those sky-high expectations. It’s always great to hear clients ask us at the end of an event how we can possibly top it next year, but somehow, we always do. We love nothing more than to impress an audience with fresh and exciting ideas, introducing new event trends, and immersive experiences. Sometimes we’re managing clients with Gucci aspirations and H&M budgets so it can be a challenge, but it’s always one we embrace.
Measure and Celebrate Your Success. In fast-paced businesses that are constantly busy, it’s easy to just move on to the next project. Make sure you and your teams are constantly keeping a close eye on your successes and celebrate them regularly. Whether that’s looking at the impact you’ve made on clients to demonstrate how successful a project has been, looking back at the quarter or year that has just been completed or rewarding teams through socials, it’s always important to take a moment.
Encourage Recognition. Seeing the team progress and individuals grow in confidence is rewarding for me. It’s great to see them recognised by industry peers too which is why we put our teams forward for several awards. This year, our Senior Producer, Sophie Greatbanks has been nominated for CN Agency Producer of the Year and Content Coordinator, Niki Toth has just been awarded the title, CN Agency 30 Under 30. Amazing achievements for fantastic team members.
Future Focus. As well as having the foundations in place for the business, make sure you’re looking forward. What’s next, who do you want to work with, what is the next best event you want to work on. Always keep an eye on the year ahead.
Lead as you’d want to be lead – setting an example and getting your hands dirty from the top down
Share your knowledge – for the sake of the future of the industry, share your best practices and learnings whether this is internally with the team, on socials or through industry events or media, educate the next generation of creative event professionals.
Looking forward, what do the next 13 years look like? I’m stepping away from the day-to-day running of the agency to concentrate on business development. I’ve always been very hands-on so it’s not an easy move to make but it’s the right thing to do with a view to our future growth and the next 13 years. I’m chasing that dream client, Adobe or Google for example with big budgets to allow our creativity to go wild. It’s been an amazing journey so far and I can’t wait for the next chapter.
Influencer marketing agency says AI and Google’s Search Generative Experience will transform the creator economy for influencers and brands in 2024
Leading influencer marketing agency, Disrupt, forecasts that the next 12 months are going to be transformative for influencers and the creator economy because of changes to the way people search online, generative AI and Google’s new personalised search capability.
The creator economy is now estimated to be worth $250 billion and growing annually.
The last year saw the emergence of new trends, creators, rapid development of generative AI and its use by influencers, and new social platforms, including Threads.
Stevie Johnson, managing director of Disrupt, says: “If 2023 was the year when generative AI turned the world upside down, this year is going to set the creator economy spinning for influencers and brands.
“Over the last year, we’ve witnessed this new technology being adopted across all industries, transforming the way we work, but nowhere are we seeing this faster than across content and influencer marketing.
“This will escalate at an even more rapid pace through the rest of 2024. AI is shrinking the barriers between what you can imagine and what you can create, and as a result, influencer marketing is poised to become even more valuable as AI-generated content upends the media landscape.”
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is also set to be a game-changer for the creator economy, according to Johnson.
Johnson adds: “This new AI capability has the potential to revolutionise the way we search, and in turn, will significantly impact the way both brands and creators are able to connect with their target audiences and grow their businesses.”
SGE’s ability to personalise search results and present more relevant content is expected to significantly boost the visibility of creators.
James Rigby, Head of Paid Performance at Disrupt’s sister agency, Found, said: “We’ve already begun to see Google’s search algorithm showcase content from YouTube and TikTok, but with the introduction of SGE (AI Search), this volume could explode in 2024 and really transform the Content Creator space.
“SGE is an immersive search experience that utilises prompts and results to guide the searcher to where they want to be. From a creator perspective, this is massively exciting as it represents an opportunity to seamlessly infiltrate Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) and become an integral part of intent-led browsing in a way that has just never been possible before.”
As a social enterprise, leading social enterprise and film production company Inside Job Productions channel their profits back into initiatives that emphasise mental health, leveraging training and education as key tools for transformative impact. During 2023, they started a six-month pilot programme with the national mental health charity, Rethink Mental Illness. Inside Job Productions hired a Production Trainee at the London Living Wage, offering them comprehensive training and support in film production, editing and delivery. Their role was to produce content for the charity’s newly launched TikTok channel.
The social impact aim was twofold:
Provide training and employment for a young person with lived experience of mental illness
Create high quality content for people experiencing difficulties with their mental health to view on social media
A Participatory Trainer supported Charly, a person with bipolar disorder who had been out of employment for a long time, helping them grow skills and confidence to create high quality content for the TikTok channel.
The need
Inside Job Productions commissioned an independent survey of 1000 16-30 year olds and ran a focus group of 12 young people to get an understanding of what they want – and what works. There is a clear need for helpful content when it comes to mental health.
41% of young people turn to social media for support and advice around mental health
48% are looking on the internet more generally
Just 1 in 10 (9%) say that the content they see is always useful to them, and 40% sometimes
52% say the content they see makes them feel better – meaning nearly half don’t feel this way
Not only is content not always helpful, it could pose risk. Inside Job Productions and Rethink Mental Illness saw an opportunity to shift the dial and change things.
What people want
The results
Over six months not only was a channel launched, but is thriving. The content on Rethink Mental Illness’ TikTok channel is designed to be informative, personal, and powerful, with the needs of young people in mind.
To date there are
30+ videos
1400+ followers
2300+ likes
67.3k plays
The content young people are seeing on Rethink Mental Illness’ TikTok channel is deemed to be helpful, impactful and trustworthy. The survey showed that:
60% say it is useful
67% say it makes them feel better
85% say the content is clear
83% say the channel is trustworthy
“The content is easy to understand and it’s good that the content is quick and snappy and gets to the point. I really like that the content is separated into lots of different videos, rather than one long video. As it’s coming from one person rather than a script, it makes it easy to understand and clearly from an individual’s perspective.”
“I really liked the questions asked – It’s informative, but not the kind of stuff you get on the NHS. You can’t really get this type of information on the internet. This is kind of indispensable.”
“Other things you see on TikTok on mental health can be triggering and unhelpful, but this made me feel seen like this person is speaking for me.”
As well as helping the thousands of young people who view and engage with the content, the scheme has been hugely beneficial to Charly, our trainee.
Charly Flyte, Inside Job Productions Production Trainee said: “My time at Inside Job Productions has taught me so much about editing and filmmaking; it’s given me real confidence that has undoubtedly improved my mental health. Everyone is so supportive of one another, being part of a team like that is so refreshing and I’m excited to go to work each week.”
The clear impact and results of the scheme means that Inside Job Productions are continuing in 2024, with a new trainee, and have been approached by other charities including ThriveLDN to run a similar project, helping the social enterprise deliver against their social impact charter, and use film for good.
Ann Summerhayes, CEO, Inside Job Productions said: “As a social impact project this scheme has allowed us to make a difference not only to the life of Charly, our Production Trainee, but also the thousands of people who see the content produced for the TikTok channel. It’s clear that thoughtful, powerful and supportive films can make a difference to people’s lives, and we’re proud of that.”
Raif Howley, Social Media Manager at Rethink Mental Illness said: “When we launched our TikTok channel, our clear goal was to provide engaging content for young people which clearly and effectively raised awareness of what it is like to live with a mental illness. Working with IJP and our intern Charly on this scheme has been instrumental in achieving this goal, and seeing the feedback in the survey, in the focus group and in the comments section underneath our posts shows how successful this collaboration has been. I couldn’t be happier with the content Charly has produced and seeing their confidence grow with each new piece of content was my personal highlight. But to create a channel which feels authentic, in-line with our goals as a charity and is engaging for a younger audience is really special too.”
Leading brands share their vision for the evolving landscape of customer data, its transformation and its impact on businesses.
Written by Matthew Biboud Lubeck, Vice President EMEA, Amperity
The world of customer data is rapidly changing, and companies are responding with diverse strategies to stay ahead in this dynamic environment. At Amperity’s recent Amplify summit, industry leaders and professionals from iconic global brands like Deloitte, Patagonia, Taco Bell and more converged to explore the evolving landscape of data-driven marketing and the profound impact of first-party data.
Under the overarching theme of “Together We’re Electric,” the event explored critical facets of using customer data for strategic advantage, with a focus on the future of paid media, best practices for Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) and the transformative power of establishing a unified data foundation with Amperity.
Let’s dive in.
The Right Tools for a Shifting Landscape
Amperity CEO Barry Padgett kicked off the event with an analogy: a CDP is like an electrical outlet, with all the circuitry behind the wall making it work and the appliances that get plugged in making things happen. The data foundation is behind the wall, and all the marketing and analytics tools get power from the foundation.
He emphasised the importance of both halves of the customer data equation — what goes on behind the outlet and what gets plugged in — working in harmony to create a seamless flow, from data intake and unification to insights and activation to revenue.
“Customer data should always be two things: reliable and repeatable. Results are only as good as the data you feed it. We must get the data right,” he says. This collaborative approach is even more important at a time of heightened external pressures like regulatory compliance, technical evolution and the demands of knowledgeable and savvy customers.
Next was the keynote unveiling of Amperity for Paid Media, a new solution addressing the challenges to the traditional methods of digital advertising due to the continuing deprecation of third-party data and evolving content and privacy regulations. Amperity CTO and Co-Founder Derek Slager laid out a customer data strategy focused on using unified first-party data to power paid media and be much more effective than a third-party-forward approach.
This isn’t a future state: Amperity is already sending more than 12 billion profiles a day to the majority of top media partners, and brands adopting a first-party data strategy have seen great results, including match rates as high as 85 per cent on key channels, improved return on ad spend (ROAS) by up to 5x, and up to 90 per cent faster activation time for new campaigns. The keynote summed it up as “better data, better results.”
First-Party Paid Media Strategy in Action
Several sessions unpacked the future of paid media, making it clear that this moment in digital advertising is both evolutionary and revolutionary. Things are changing, and they’re not going back.
With third-party-reliant systems growing obsolete, it becomes critical to base your approach on first-party data to navigate the changing ecosystem. We heard from Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Citizen Watch, and Taco Bell about how they’re working with Amperity to unify and use their owned data for advertising, seeing tremendous results.
They shared their experiences with change management when transitioning to a unified customer profile approach. They also discussed how adapting their paid media strategy pushed them to think about other ways to use customer data in different settings, emphasising the critical role of a unified customer foundation in making any of it possible.
Mike Shiwdin, VP, Digital Optimisation, MarTech, Guest Intelligence and Engagement Strategy at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, shares, “Anticipating your guests’ needs and acting on them is the core of hospitality. First-party data really allows us to truly understand who those customers are and what they want and need across our 20-plus brands globally. So that was really where we first started: How do we better understand who is a budget hotel customer, who is in a registry collection, who’s spending $700 a night at an all-inclusive resort?
“From a paid media perspective, we started with suppression. Without first-party data, we had a one-size-fits-all approach. So that was the clear proof of concept to drive value internally to build momentum in the investment. Now as we’re three years into it, we’re starting to build a robust retargeting effort. And we’re seeing material results. We’re starting to get more of a sense of how we expand out across paid media,” he continues.
“Once we saw the value of paid media at Wyndham, we slowly started to mature into the realisation of how first-party data isn’t just about the next transaction. And we started to see the real value of first-party data and a CDP with Amperity. The next transaction — the value of that is just incremental touchpoints to build a stronger relationship with your guests.”
CDP Best Practices: Scoping, ROI and Use Cases
During the summit, we also dug into the different aspects of using a CDP, including hearing from SPARC Group about building a multi-brand strategy with a unified data foundation and exploring the three pillars of ROI strategy at Vail Resorts.
We had the privilege of learning about how CPG company Reckitt makes a CDP work at a global scale. Bastian Parizot, Global Head of Tech and Digital at Reckitt emphasises, “First-party strategy for us is about how we take control of that ‘seed’ that helps us do better at media targeting, to be more relevant in advertising and start building a direct relationship.”
Sessions with Vince and Citizen Watch walked through a variety of specific use cases for marketing and analytics, with a focus on tying together the customer experience across all touchpoints. For example, Rob Harvath, VP Consumer Insights and Data Management at Citizen Watch, says, “The power of a CDP like Amperity is that it has made my life a whole lot easier, but it’s also made us a whole lot smarter about who our customers are.
“Amperity has helped me tell the company and our sales team who our customers are, all the way down to the individual model of watch they bought. So when you take into account all of our brands, all of the collections within those brands, all the way down to the individual model, guess what? Our data now is structured where I can answer the question, who’s the customer for this particular watch with these attributes.”
We also heard from Taco Bell collaborating with AWS on how it went from having no customer data to operating seamlessly between digital and in-person channels, using data to understand customer preferences and creating the kind of personal experiences that build loyalty. Dane Mathews, Chief Digital Officer at Taco Bell, emphasises, “Loyalty is transforming customer expectations, retail experiences and the QSR business model.”
From Unified Data to The Downfall of DMPs
The speakers emphasised that the success of their marketing strategies hinges on having a unified data foundation as the bedrock. They shared their experience of how important it is to be able to feed accurate data to a whole range of tools for various use cases like omnichannel, multi-databases and real-time profile API.
On the culture and change management side, speakers agreed that each organisation’s initial use cases and CDP rollout plan should be tailored to their specific needs. But regardless of what they’re trying, they need to be able to see ROI quickly.
There was also a session from David Chan, Managing Director at Deloitte Digital discussing the future of customer data. He explained why brands need to make the move from Data ManagementPlatforms (DMP), which were previously popular but dependent on third-party data and thus increasingly less viable. He recommended that brands move to a CDP, which maximises first-party data, and explained how clean-room technology is vital to making that move happen.
Strategies and Tactics Reshaping Customer Engagement
Some of the sessions asked, what does it take to put together a data foundation that can turn customer data into business value? Patagonia Manager, Customer Insights and Analytics, Dan Sundaram, shares, “[With Amperity] we can illuminate touchpoints across the brand that we’ve never been able to see or understand. And that lets us talk to people in a much more relevant, less intrusive way, which in a world of personalisation is the key to valuable customer relationships.”
Databricks also joined Amperity on the stage to discuss the concept of a ‘composable’ CDP, which involves solving CDP-related challenges using individual point solutions, also known as a modern data stack. One of the takeaways was that the point solutions within a composable CDP do not create unified customer profiles — which is itself a highly specialised technical problem that needs to be solved to make the other points work more effectively. (And, incidentally, is the problem Amperity was built to solve.)
The Future of Data-Driven Marketing is ‘Electric’
We’re on the cusp of a remarkable transformation in the realm of customer data. The Amplify Summit offered a glimpse into the future where the power of unified, reliable data is harnessed to drive unprecedented levels of innovation, engagement and growth. The future of data-driven marketing is here — and the possibilities are “electrifying”.
About the author
Matthew Biboud Lubeck, Vice President EMEA, Amperity
Matthew is the vice president of EMEA where he is responsible for the commercial expansion of Amperity, a leading customer data platform trusted by brands like Reckitt, Under Armour and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Lubeck joined Amperity in 2017 to help launch the company and has served in a number of key roles building sales, customer success, and marketing functions. Matthew established Amperity’s LGBTQ employee resource group (ERG) and is a trusted advisor and customer-centricity change agent to the C-suite across leading consumer brands.
Prior to Amperity, Lubeck spent 10 years with global beauty conglomerates Estee Lauder Group and L’Oréal as Group Head of Customer Data Strategy and Analytics, leading 30 brands across luxury, mass and salon professional divisions to better use data & unlock incredible beauty experiences, establishing L’Oreal as an industry leader. He resides in London with his husband and four-year-old daughter.
About Amperity
Amperity delivers the data confidence brands need to unlock growth by truly knowing their customers. With Amperity, brands can build a first-party data foundation to fuel customer acquisition and retention, personalise experiences that build loyalty, and manage privacy compliance. Using patented AI and ML methods, Amperity stitches together all customer interactions to build a unified view that seamlessly connects to marketing and technology tools. More than 400 brands worldwide rely on Amperity to turn data into business value, including Alaska Airlines, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Endeavour Drinks, Planet Fitness, Seattle Sounders FC, Under Armour and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. For more information, visit amperity.com or follow us on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
London-based creative agency, AML Group, have created a campaign for Vanguard that brings to life the affection customers feel for one of the world’s leading investment firms.
‘Loving the Value’ – the third instalment of the hugely successful ‘Value to Investors’ campaign that helped launch Vanguard to the UK market – retains the iconic Vanguard ‘V’ sign and the popular ‘human sound’ music track – and, quite literally, shining a light on the memorable ‘Yeah Yeah’. The campaign also showcases an emotional connection – revealing the different things customers love about investing with Vanguard.
Shot on location in London, the TV spot features a number of scenarios with everyday people speaking directly to camera, doing things they enjoy because their investments are taken care of. A mum, her young daughter and her grandmother on an illuminated carousel; the owner of a retro pizza van and an older couple entering a theatre.
“This campaign is very much about bringing to life the joy of investing with Vanguard and the value it offers to people of all ages and backgrounds.” Says Hugo Bone, ECD, AML Group. “It’s unmistakably Vanguard, which is essential for effectiveness, but with a fresh new twist – you can now see the music as well as hearing it. So it’s not just an earworm – it’s an eyeworm too.”
Since the launch of the multiple award-winning campaign in 2020, brand awareness of Vanguard has moved from 22nd to 5th, with consideration rising from 9th to 4th and spontaneous brand attribution leaping from zero to 50%. The number of UK investors choosing Vanguard with their savings, currently stands at 550,000.
Commenting on the campaign Becky Bond, Head of Marketing Europe at Vanguard says: “Our relationship with AML has had a huge impact on both brand awareness and brand perception. This latest iteration builds on the success of the previous campaigns – and beautifully highlights our customer-first, value-led approach. We couldn’t be happier with the results”.
The campaign that includes TV, radio, digital and OOH was shot by Jim Gilchrist at Rattling Stick with the soundtrack created by Simon Bass and a street choir at Pure Soho.
Creating an effective strategy to generate new leads is crucial for any business. Direct mail companies in London offer a unique and highly effective approach to reaching potential customers. This article explores how businesses can collaborate with these companies to boost their lead generation efforts.
Understanding Direct Mail and Its Benefits
Direct mail involves sending physical marketing materials, such as brochures, postcards, or catalogues, directly to potential customers. Unlike digital marketing, direct mail provides a tangible experience, creating a lasting impression. Key benefits include targeted reach, personalized content, and measurable results.
Choosing the Right Direct Mail Company in London
London hosts a variety of direct mail companies, each with its own specialties and strengths. You can always start with a search for ‘direct mail companies London’ – but an even better way to start is to ask fellow business owners at local networking groups for a recommendation. Networking may also give you another way of picking up leads too!
You will probably find online searches and recommendations help you put together a shortlist, and you can go from there. When selecting a partner, consider their experience, range of services, and success stories. Ensure they understand your industry and target audience.
Integrating Direct Mail into Your Marketing Strategy
Direct mail should complement your existing marketing efforts. Develop a cohesive strategy where direct mail works in synergy with your digital campaigns, enhancing the overall impact. This integrated approach ensures a consistent brand message across all channels.
Personalization and Targeting
The success of direct mail campaigns hinges on personalization and targeting. Work with your chosen direct mail company to segment your audience and tailor messages accordingly. Personalized mailings resonate more with recipients, increasing the likelihood of engagement.
Design and Content
The design and content of your mail pieces are crucial. They should be eye-catching, yet aligned with your brand identity. Professional design and compelling copywriting are key to making your mail stand out in a crowded mailbox.
Measuring Success and ROI
Partner with a direct mail company that offers robust tracking and analytics. This allows you to measure the success of your campaigns in terms of response rates, lead quality, and return on investment (ROI). Continuous monitoring and adjustment are vital for ongoing success.
Building Long-Term Relationships
Effective direct mail campaigns can help in building long-term relationships with customers. Include calls-to-action (CTAs) that encourage further engagement, such as visiting your website or signing up for a newsletter.
Compliance and Best Practices
Ensure that your direct mail campaigns comply with relevant regulations, such as GDPR in the UK. Your direct mail partner should be well-versed in these regulations and help you navigate them.
Conclusion
Working with direct mail companies in London can significantly enhance your lead generation efforts. By choosing the right partner, integrating direct mail into your broader marketing strategy, and focusing on personalization and targeting, you can effectively reach and engage your desired audience. Remember, the key to success lies in a well-planned strategy, compelling content, and consistent evaluation of results.
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