Welcome Ramakrishnan Raja, Principal at Resonant, sharing his insights on Data Integration, Personalization & Data Strategy in Data Demystified Thoughts series.

How do you describe your job to a 5-year-old?

I help companies tell their stories to people who will love hearing them. It’s like making your lemonade stand the coolest one in the neighbourhood by spreading the word in fun ways so everyone gets excited to try your lemonade, drink it, and become your loyal customer.

What is the most effective use of technology you’ve seen in navigating today’s rapidly changing and diverse world?

Personalization at scale. It used to be just a buzzword at conferences, but now, with affordable technology, data maturity, and AI/ML models, we can deliver nuanced, values-aligned, and contextual personalization on a large scale. This has been a true game-changer.

How much of your marketing is data-driven?

For most objective decisions and reasoning, data is front and centre—whether it’s media mix modeling, performance optimization, or attribution. However, I firmly believe that storytelling drives growth. So, while strategic, intuitive, and creative thinking often lead the way, these ideas are continually tested and refined through data to make smarter bets.

What challenges do you see in processing data from different sources? How do you overcome them?

Normalization and integration are the biggest challenges. Creating a robust data framework for the organization, backed by clear leadership for governance, is crucial. Leveraging AI is also invaluable for handling data cleaning, normalization, and integration.

With more consumers being conscious of their data being shared, how do you address these concerns?

Have a straightforward and robust data policy. Transparency is key. Audiences understand the give-and-take in advertising, especially with the rise of AVOD. What’s essential is a crystal-clear, easily accessible data policy that leaves no room for confusion.

How do you use data dynamically to create a seamless physical and digital customer experience?

Implementing a data unification solution, like a CDP, is critical for creating seamless experiences. Beyond the technology—like CDPs, real-time capabilities, and personalization—a well-thought-out customer journey strategy and omnichannel engagement plan are what bring everything together. Robust feedback loops are also essential for making adjustments along the way.

What are the biggest challenges you face in data management within your organization?

As a consultant, I find data integration and normalization to be the most significant challenges.

What key elements do you consider when developing a data strategy? What role do you see data playing in your company’s future growth?

Clarity on the “why” and “what” is vital. Understanding why we’re doing this and what we want to achieve is crucial. Specific objectives are necessary. Teams also need to assess their current level of analytics and inference capabilities, how much of this can be integrated into workflows, and the speed at which it can be done. As most of my clients are evolving on the data-maturity scale, I see data playing a pivotal role in delivering hyper-personalized experiences for audiences.

Which tools do you prefer for data visualization and why? What are common mistakes to avoid in data visualization?

I prefer Tableau for its familiarity and ease of integration. One common mistake in data visualization is creating overly complex visuals. Keep it simple. Visualizations should be more like an Adam Sandler movie—easy to follow—rather than a complex Christopher Nolan film.

Can you describe a successful campaign or initiative that used CDP data for personalization?

We worked on a B2B campaign where an ad tech vendor aimed to drive a Programmatic ABM targeting QSR executives in the US Midwest. Starting from scratch, we built our primary data set through industry events, seminars, and white papers. We then acquired a third-party data set of key QSR professionals in the US, which we integrated with our master data set to create a focused audience segment. After careful journey mapping and developing an email strategy, we launched a highly targeted Programmatic ABM campaign. This approach led to our first Connected TV campaign for a major QSR brand during the Super Bowl, successfully breaking into the QSR vertical.

A big thank you to Ramakrishnan Raja, Principal at Resonant, sharing his insights on Data Integration, Personalization & Data Strategy in Data Demystified Thoughts series. If you want to connect with Ramakrishnan after reading his Data Demystified Thoughts, please reach out via his LinkedIn Profile!

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Last updated: August 2024