Bridging The Intelligence Gap: Why Data Alone Isn't Enough
Lalena Nau, Managing Director at Zeta Global.
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In today's marketing landscape, data is abundant—however, true intelligence is not.
Despite years of investments in analytics platforms, dashboards and data storage systems, many organizations continue to encounter the same core challenge: translating vast amounts of customer data into personalized, meaningful experiences that drive growth.
Deloitte's Fall 2024 CMO Survey revealed that many companies remain in the emerging stages of digital transformation, with 57% not having fully integrated new technologies into their processes, which leads to challenges around how to both analyze and leverage their customer data.
This disconnect—the 'intelligence gap'—is expensive. As customers demand more relevance and immediacy across channels, the discrepancy between data collection and actionable insights has become impossible to ignore.
The foundation of the intelligence gap is complexity. Most marketers are inundated with siloed systems, fragmented identity signals and platforms that were not designed to operate in real time.
Without an intelligence layer that can unify identity, derive actionable insights and automate execution, marketers are left with static segmentation models, delayed campaign cycles and a limited ability to respond to customer signals as they happen.
Customer data platforms (CDPs) have played a meaningful role in helping organizations centralize and structure their data. However, many CDPs are now reaching the limits of what they were originally designed to do. While they can effectively ingest and organize customer data, they often require additional layers of intelligence to unify identity across channels, generate predictive insights and enable real-time activation.
Without this added capability, marketers may struggle to move beyond basic segmentation and static dashboards, which can result in static segmentation models, delayed campaign cycles and a mounting disparity between marketing potential and execution.
The intelligence gap is more than a technical hurdle—it's a strategic barrier keeping CMOs from realizing AI's full value. Marketing leaders who can transform data into real-time actions will close the gap more quickly. Successfully closing the gap requires changes in mindset, skill set and tools—particularly as AI becomes central to marketing strategy.
For example, AI is no longer just about content creation, and it's time for marketing leaders to embrace a broader, more transformative role. With AI, marketers can better understand their customers, deliver personalized content based on predicted behavior and preferences and automate cross-channel optimization to ensure no touchpoint has been missed—empowering next-generation marketing strategies.
To begin bridging the intelligence gap, marketing leaders should prioritize a few key strategies:
1. Consolidate data around a single customer view. Centralized data is essential to make the most of AI tools. In a recent survey conducted by my organization, Zeta Global, 35% of nearly 200 chief marketing executives said they needed to improve customer insight and intelligence to drive action. AI technologies are increasingly being used to support this process. Integrate identity as well as behavioral and transactional data to create persistent customer profiles that facilitate personalization across all channels.
2. Implement predictive models. Use AI to anticipate customer needs and behaviors, then execute on those predictions in real time through automated decisioning. Personally, I appreciate when brands do this. For example, a specialty coffee establishment that I like to visit often delivers personalized recommendations based on past visits and purchases. I have tried new menu items that I would not have otherwise considered due to this AI-powered interaction. Every brand can do this, no matter the industry.
3. Move from campaigns to conversations. Transition from mass marketing campaigns to always-on, behavior-derived journeys that respond to an individual's signals and intent. Gone are the days when a brand can send a mass email and hope for a higher-than-normal open rate. Brands must connect to their customers on an individual level and look at each interaction as part of a conversation on a personal level. Leveraging AI to better understand the customer can significantly help each interaction feel personalized.
4. Align performance metrics with business impact. Evolve beyond superficial metrics and instead focus on what truly influences outcomes. A recent McKinsey & Company article, 'Unlocking the Next Frontier of Personalized Marketing,' underscored the necessity of rigorous measurement frameworks to validate the ROI of personalization efforts. By redefining benchmarks to reflect revenue contribution, customer growth and long-term value, marketers can position themselves as critical catalysts of business performance. Traditional performance indicators are no longer sufficient.
AI is a driving factor behind all of the above, however, humans still play a critical role. It's the human plus AI that makes it all possible. They must work together to achieve an outcome, with marketers specifically providing input and consistent feedback to improve AI's performance.
When marketers successfully bridge the intelligence gap, they activate the full power of personalization. Customers receive more relevant, timely experiences. Marketers gain efficiency and clarity. Businesses experience accelerated growth, stronger loyalty and a measurable return on marketing investment.
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