Effective Targeting in a Privacy-First World

In our first article in this series, Unified Measurement, we explored the opportunities for integrated measurement methods, such as Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and Media Lift, to help brands gain a more robust understanding of marketing effectiveness.

Building on these principles, I believe that the convergence of diverse datasets presents further opportunities for a more nuanced understanding of consumer behavior. This equips brands to optimize their campaigns geographically and tailor their messaging to resonate with the intended consumer segments, ultimately delivering a greater sales impact.

As we navigate through the complexities of a post-cookie era, it becomes increasingly clear that the strategic integration of complementary datasets is not just beneficial — it’s imperative for success.

To illustrate the point, I’d like to share a recent collaboration between Nano Interactive and Circana. It serves as a prime example of this principle in action.

The Heineken Company was looking to strengthen brand awareness and market penetration as well as increase consumer consideration for Cruzcampo as a newcomer beer brand in the UK. Additionally, they were keen to understand the impact of programmatic advertising from a short-term sales perspective.

Together, Nano and Circana created a test campaign bringing together Circana’s ProScores® data, which provided valuable in-store sales insights, and Nano Interactive’s real-time consumer journey data, which offered a deep contextual analysis of consumer behavior without relying on identifiers. These datasets were complemented by Intent Personas, which allowed for targeted advertising that aligned with consumer intent.

By focusing on areas with the highest sales opportunities and tailoring the messaging to resonate with the intended consumer segments, the campaign for Heineken’s Cruzcampo brand achieved significant uplifts in brand metrics and ROI.

This success demonstrates that with the right combination of datasets and technology, brands can deliver effective campaigns that respect consumer privacy and adhere to a privacy-first approach. It also illustrates the potential for partnerships like this to yield bigger campaign results with a true measurement of brand impact.

Looking ahead, the principles of combining complementary datasets will undoubtedly continue to shape the future of digital marketing. As audience attention continues to wane and consumer traceability concerns rise, the ability to measure performance using technology that understands the intent of users, the meaning of the campaign, and the overall contextual environment in a brand-safe, privacy-first manner is critical for advertisers looking to futureproof.