The Data-Centric Organization:
Transforming for the Next Generation
of Audience Marketing
A WINTERBERRY GROUP WHITE PAPER SEPTEMBER 2016
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
DATA
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 2
For well over a decade, analysts have leveraged white papers like this
to tell a story of how “Big Data” would soon revolutionize how companies
practice advertising, marketing and virtually all other customer-
facing functions.
If such research has occasionally been criminally responsible for provoking
hype and over-generalization in the marketplace, well, we’re probably as
guilty as any. In concert with our research partners at DMA and Interactive
Advertising Bureau, we’ve investigated the potential of data through the
lens of supporting use cases, programmatic media strategies, supporting
technology platforms, institutional governance structures and a multitude of
other topics.
After so many man-hours of research, we can safely say this: enterprises are sold on both the
potential and the real value of data. In fact, it’s no over-generalization to say that marketers and
media companies alike have signed on for what’s effectively a data revolution, with the same
companies working furiously—in ways that are both big and small, highly visible and lurking beneath
the surface of complex organizational structures—to make data an integral part of how they engage
with their respective audiences.
Many are going about that task largely in the dark, without benefit of a strategic roadmap, industry-
standard benchmarks or even, typically, a series of performance objectives tied back to their
overarching business needs.
Though no white paper can provide all the guidance that any single data stakeholder might be
seeking to affect such a transformation, we hope this report—a collaborative effort between
associations representing marketers, media companies and the vast ecosystem of firms that support
their respective efforts—can help all data users frame their efforts in the context of what’s working for
their peers, and what’s delivering real value in a market where such can often be hard to quantify.
More importantly, we hope it furthers the industry dialogue focused on supporting the productive
and responsible use of data—as a foundation for doing better marketing, a means of growing the
value of media and a tool to deliver better experiences to the consumers who are such an integral
part of the exchange.
All hype aside, that’s what the value of data is all about. We welcome your feedback.
Jonathan C. Margulies
Managing Director, Winterberry Group
jmargulies@winterberrygroup.com
FOREWORD
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This white paper would not have been possible without the significant contributions of more
than 200 executive-level thought leaders—including contributors, sponsors and reviewers
representing all segments of the advertising, marketing, media and technology industries.
In particular, Winterberry Group is grateful to our research partners, DMA and the Interactive
Advertising Bureau’s Data Center of Excellence including its board member companies:
We are further grateful to our independent supporting sponsors:
SUPPORTING SPONSORS:
Additionally, we extend our deepest appreciation to the marketers, publishers, technology
developers and service providers who contributed their time, insights and enthusiasm in support
of our research. Though their individual names are not mentioned in this paper, they represent
some of the most respected and innovative companies in the data-driven marketing and media
world—including AARP, American Broadcasting Company, American Express, Dell, Hulu,
Macy’s, Metlife, NBC Universal, Nutrisystem, TD Ameritrade and many others.
NOTICE
This report contains brief, selected information and analysis pertaining to the advertising, marketing,
media and technology industries and has been prepared by Winterberry Group LLC in partnership with
DMA, the Interactive Advertising Bureau. It does not purport to be all-inclusive or to contain all of the
information that a prospective manager, investor or lender may require. Projections and opinions in this
report have been prepared based on information provided by third parties. Neither Winterberry Group,
DMA, the Interactive Advertising Bureau, nor their respective sponsors make any representations or
assurances that this information is complete or completely accurate, as it relies on self-reported data
from industry leaders—including advertisers, marketing service providers, publishers, technology
developers and agencies. Nor shall any of the forgoing (or their respective officers or controlling persons)
have any liability resulting from the use of the information contained herein or otherwise supplied.
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 4
Over the past several decades, the practice of marketing has undergone a number of
transformative shifts.
Direct marketing welcomed “digital” into the fold. Digital became “omnichannel” and, with the help
of new technology, increasingly “programmatic” in its application. More recently, virtually all forms
of marketing and media adopted a renewed embrace of the customer “audience” and its needs.
Underlying this evolution has been a common theme: the growing role of data. But while the
sheer volume of audience data (and the use cases to which it’s considered addressable) have
proliferated in recent years, the organizations that aim to use it generally haven’t evolved nearly
as much.
Despite rampant enthusiasm for the potential of “Big Data,” many enterprise-class
marketers and media providers remain saddled with infrastructure, technology and
internal processes designed for yesterday’s business needs, thus hindering their
ability to capitalize on data and its potential.
And so even as these firms attempt to innovate—to stand up the latest marketing cloud
technologies, assess emerging data onboarding protocols and build custom targeting personas,
for example—they struggle with the same organizational silos, limited budget visibility and talent
constraints that have stymied them for years.
Nevertheless, transformation is underway, with an increasing number of organizations seeking
to reinvent the way they aggregate, manage and activate audience insight. But this move
to embrace data as a centerpiece of the marketing and media effort—and to become truly
“data-centric” across all facets of the enterprise—raises a series of questions: How should
organizations reinvent themselves to support data-driven approaches to marketing and
media? Where should they prioritize their investments to ensure greatest impact? And what
kind of progress has the industry made toward these objectives?
Developed through a groundbreaking partnership between DMA and Interactive Advertising
Bureau’s Data Center of Excellence, this white paper—compiled through an executive-level
outreach effort including online, telephone and in-person surveys of over 200 thought leaders—
will address those and other key questions that enterprises are encountering as they attempt
to transform with an eye on becoming “data-centric” in both theory and action. Among other
findings, it will demonstrate:
INTRODUCTION
AND EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 5
 TAKEAWAY
 SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
Though strategies to promote data-centricity are in
full force—and will continue to represent a dominant
priority among marketing and media organizations
over the coming year—few organizations have yet
to achieve meaningful results from their efforts at
data-centered business transformation.
•
Virtually all (95.7 percent) enterprise marketing and
media panelists reported that their organizations
have taken efforts to build strategies geared to
support a more central use of audience data. But
less than a third—just 28.6 percent—said that
such strategies have begun delivering quantifiable
business results.
•
Nevertheless, while less than a quarter (24.3
percent) of panelists described their organizations
as “extremely data-centric” today, more than twice
that number—59.4 percent of the panel—said they
expect their organizations were likely to achieve
that maturity within the next two years.
Though marketing and media organizations are
looking to engage audience data to support a
wide array of use cases, the hierarchy of those
applications is steadily shifting.
•
Panelists said that current high-priority data
use cases (that typically focus, for example, on
delivering greater process efficiency through the
lever of programmatic ad operations) would likely
give way over the next two years to a new set
of effectiveness-centered missions (leveraging
audience insights, for example, to deliver better
online experiences).
Data users and their supply chain partners agree:
few organizations have either the depth or breadth
of talent they need to derive full value from their
data-driven initiatives, particularly when it comes
to leveraging analytics as a driver of audience
insights.
•
Less than a third of panelists (32.9 percent) are
confident—and only 5.2 percent are “extremely
confident”—that their internal teams have the right
expertise, skills and experience to support their
data-driven initiatives.
Standing in the way of business transformation:
organizational silos and other internal process
issues that hinder data access and sharing.
•
Few panelists (2.7 percent) are “extremely
confident” that their companies’ business
processes and organizational structures are
geared to support the optimal use of available
audience data, and a majority (58.5 percent)
agreed that dissolving functional silos would
represent the most important step their
organizations could take to derive more value from
their use of audience data.
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 6
 TAKEAWAY
 SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
As they look to significantly ramp up their
investments in technology, data and service-driven
solutions over the next several years, data users
are looking for their third-party partners to elevate
their support for the strategic functions underlying
such investments—calling for a renewed focus
on business case development, technology
assessment and holistic system alignment as
elements of a comprehensive approach to “data-
centricity.”
•
60 percent of panelists said that improving
how they “build a credible business case for
technology investments” and “formalize ongoing
technology assessment” are foremost among
the tactics their organizations could pursue to
generate more value from their data-related
technology investments.
Going forward, data users are also likely to look to
their supply chain partners to play a more active
role in supporting their day-to-day marketing and
media objectives—in particular, by helping leverage
analytics to deliver strategic and campaign-level
insights.
•
While very few panelists (just 5.2 percent)
said their supply chain partners currently offer
“substantial support” in their efforts to derive value
from the use of data, nearly half (44.8 percent)
said they would benefit from a deeper relationship
with these partners.
•
Although panelists were varied in their viewpoints
on which third-party technology functions best
support their data-driven marketing and media
efforts, 49.3 percent agreed that predictive
analytics and audience segmentation represent
the features they value most in supporting
technology platforms.
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 7
N=211
Note: Includes panelists who either completed a detailed online survey questionnaire or participated
in a telephone interview; panelists were not required to answer every question. Where appropriate
technology developers, marketing service providers and agency panelists were asked to provide
opinions on their clients’ organizations
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
This white paper explores how enterprise marketers and media companies are reshaping their
organizations to leverage data as a more central driver of their various audience interactions.
Published in partnership with DMA and the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Data Center of
Excellence—and with the independent sponsorship of Merkle, V12 Group and Valassis Digital—
the paper’s findings are based on the results of an intensive research effort that included phone,
online and in-person surveys of more than 200 advertisers, marketers, publishers, technology
developers and marketing service providers (primarily based in North America, and conducted
between May and August 2016).
How would you describe your principal
role/business focus?
How many years of experience do you
have working in marketing, advertising
and/or media?
How knowledgeable are you with respect
to data and its various marketing, advertising
and/or media applications?
Technology developers,
marketing service providers
and agencies
52.5%
25 yrs
or more
22.8%
16-25 yrs
29.2%
1-5 yrs
12.9%
11-15 yrs
19.8%
6-10 yrs
13.4%
< 1 yr
.5%
Marketers,
advertisers and
media providers
47.5%
0.0%
1
Not at all
knowledgeable
0.0%
2
13.4%

41.3%
4
44.3%
5
Extremely
knowledgeable
3
Somewhat
knowledgeable
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 8
THE DATA-CENTRIC
ORGANIZATION:
A TRANSFORMATION
IN PROGRESS
Though strategies to promote data-centricity are in full force—and will continue to
represent a dominant priority among marketing and media organizations over the coming
year—few organizations have yet to achieve meaningful results from their efforts at data-
centered business transformation.
To what extent is your organization “data-centric” today? How data-
centric do you expect your organization will be two years from now?
Not at all
data-centric
Not very
data-centric
Somewhat
data-centric
Fairly
data-centric
Extremely
data-centric
0.0%
0.0%
20.0%
1.4%
25.7%
11.6%
30.0%
27.5%
24.3%
59.4%
Today In two years
To what extent would you say your organization has an overarching 
strategy to govern its use of audience data for advertising and/or
marketing purposes?
No strategy
and no plan
to develop
No strategy today
but planning to
develop
Strategy is being
developed but not
yet implemented
Strategy has been
developed and
implemented but is not
yet deliving results
Strategy has
been developed,
implemented and is
deliving results
4.3%
17.1%
38.6%
11.4%
28.6%
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 9
Î Enterprise-class marketers and media providers are actively pursuing organizational change initiatives aimed at
leveraging data as a more central driver of their audience engagement efforts. Though the specific drivers behind these
initiatives (and the frameworks within which they���re managed) vary across markets, they tend to be driven by one or more
of the following overarching objectives:
• The embrace of “customer-centricity” as a fundamental go-to-market strategy
• A desire to engage digital channels as primary promotional, transactional and/or customer service vehicles,
supplanting traditional media
• A desire to better integrate the deployment of various channels—both digital and traditional—around a richer
understanding of the customer audience
Î As much as data has already served to transform the practices of marketing and media, its greatest transformative
impact isn’t likely to be realized for at least several years. Less than a quarter (24.3 percent) of panelists described their
organizations as “extremely data-centric” today, but more than twice that number—59.4 percent of the panel—said they
expect their organizations would achieve that maturity within the next two years
Î
Further, virtually all (95.7 percent) enterprise marketing and media panelists reported that their organizations have
taken efforts to build strategies geared to support a more central use of audience data. But less than a third—just 28.6
percent—said that such strategies have begun delivering quantifiable business results
Î Even in cases where data-related initiatives have yet to deliver a quantifiable payoff, few data stakeholders question the
validity or appropriateness of those investments. Instead, panelists suggested that many companies remain deep in the midst
of their “early days” data transformations, and relatively few have taken the steps necessary to align stakeholders across their
organizations to identify and activate a slate of use cases that offer the potential for value creation at the enterprise level
PANELISTS SAID...
“The goal is being customer-centric, but we are putting more emphasis on data as the center of that initiative,
enabling those insights and data-driven strategies. In order to put the customer at the center, you need the
data. And in that respect we’re definitely in the middle-to-late stage of ‘crawl’ on the way to ‘walk’ and then
‘run.’ We’ve got some basic segmentation and versioning that we’re doing, but everyone knows a more
significant transformation is the priority.”
“Being data-driven and analytical underpins the success of any state-of-the-art marketing organization. We
aren’t totally there yet, but we’re moving in that direction.”
“We’re definitely moving to be a more customer-centric organization and to do that you need the data around
the customer to drive value and amplify the opportunity we have.”
“Becoming really data-centric and data-driven has been a focus here for a number of years now and we keep making
progress. We just hired a ‘chief strategy, analytics and innovation officer’ as a peer to the CMO. He owns customer
insight and a lot of customer groups, but the data piece can’t just be under one department because we all rely on it.”
“We started moving in this direction—setting up a shared data center of excellence and company-wide strategy
—because our lack of coordination and the confusion that it created were becoming business issues. In particular,
we were struggling with conflicting data, with one business unit interpreting data differently than another, and the
CEO was given conflicting numbers.”
IN THEIR OWN
WORDS
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 10
Current State Use Cases: Where Data is
Driving Value
To what extent has data driven specific, observable value
to your organization in support of the following marketing,
advertising and media use cases?
High Priority Use Cases: Where Users
Intend to Focus their Future Data
Initiatives
Across the same use cases, how is your organization’s
approach to using data likely to change over the next
two years?
Though marketing and media organizations are looking to engage audience data to support
a wide array of use cases, the hierarchy of those applications is steadily shifting.
P Segmentation of customer/prospect
audiences for targeted marketing
P Measurement and attribution of our
advertising/marketing efforts
P
Improvement of our advertising/marketing
operations efficiencies
P Development of insights into our
customers’/prospects’ interests and needs
P Development of relevant advertising/
marketing content
P Enhancement of cross-channel customer/
prospect profiles or identities
P Development of products and our broader
commercial strategy
P Optimization of our media mix
P Coordination of efforts across internal
departments/functional groups
P Development of insights into our
customers’/prospects’ interests and needs
P Segmentation of customer/prospect
audiences for targeted marketing
P Enhancement of cross-channel customer/
prospect profiles or identities
P Measurement and attribution of our
advertising/marketing efforts
P Optimization of our media mix
P
Improvement of our advertising/marketing
operations efficiencies
P Development of relevant advertising/
marketing content
P Development of products and our broader
commercial strategy
P Coordination of efforts across internal
departments/functional groups
Data has
driven
somewhat
more value
We will increase
our reliance on
data in support
of this use case
somewhat
Data has
driven
significantly
more value
We will increase
our reliance on
data in support
of this use case
significantly
Note: use cases are ranked according to blended average responses across all panelists
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 11
Î The range of use cases that marketers and media companies wish to activate through their use of data is vast, and will
likely remain vast over the foreseeable future
Î Nevertheless, both marketers and media providers suggest that the hierarchy of their highest-priority data applications is
likely to evolve over the coming years. Early applications that were focused on supporting greater operational efficiency—
through, for example, the use of “programmatic” technology to automate processes that were once handled manually—
are likely to give way to a renewed focus on the effectiveness of audience engagement efforts, with more and better
targeting of cross-channel content a prime target for future investments
Î Why the shift? Panelists said they remain deeply focused on both efficiency and effectiveness as levers of their
organizations’ performance. But the earlier progress they made in supporting a basic shift to automation—and the
growing availability of data from multiple sources, as well as the emergence of onboarding and other processes that
support a richer “360-degree” view of the customer audience—suggest that a vast trove of potential remains to be
tapped when it comes to more impactful, data-driven audience engagement
PANELISTS SAID...
“My team is focused on the next-level uses for audience data, which is the predictive and prescriptive analytics.
It’s expensive to have advanced analytics talent just doing the basic stuff like segmentation and creating targets,
so the marketing teams do that today while my specialized group works on the higher-level, predictive and
model-based applications.”
“We created a team called Insight Services; they’re really engineers, they’re not data analysts or scientists or technical
people per se. They’re a mixture of all those things: process-oriented, critical thinkers, data hacks—they’re experts in
connecting the dots and making things happen. Data scientists are great at modeling, but they’re not great at tweaking
the model; we need people who can manage change and optimization while preserving the impact of the model for the
intended outcomes to drive our business forward.”
IN THEIR OWN
WORDS
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 12
Data users and their supply chain partners agree: few organizations have either the
depth or breadth of talent they need to derive full value from their data-driven initiatives,
particularly when it comes to leveraging analytics as a driver of audience insights.
To what extent are you confident that the people in your organization
have the right expertise, skills and experience to support your efforts
to derive value from the use of data?
1
Not at all
confident
3
Somewhat
confident
5
Extremely
confident
5.2%
21.3%
39.4%
27.7%
5.2%
What training and staff development
initiatives do you think would best support
the development of those needed skillsets/
functional competencies?
Select the top three
63.9%
60.6%
49.7%
39.4%
25.8%
23.2%
20.0%
14.8%
13.5%
Development of a data-driven
organizational culture
Data analytics/modeling training
Cross-organization training on data-driven
marketing/media applications
Closer collaboration with marketing
service/technology providers
Training on use/management of
related technology
Development of career paths focused on
the management and use of data
Training on best practices in
data governance
Training on internal systems,
departments and resources
Revision of compensation models tied
more closely to data management and use
88.4%
69.0%
45.2%
38.7%
21.9%
17.4%
9.0%
4.5%
Data analytics
Data management, processing
Technology/IT
General marketing/management
Legal/data governance
Process engineering
Finance/budgetary management
Supplier management
What specific skillsets or functional
competencies do you think will be the most
important for your organization to possess in
support of its future data-driven marketing,
advertising and/or media efforts?
Select the top three
4
2
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 13
To what extent are your organization’s staff compensation models geared
to support the optimal use of audience data?
Fairly well
suited
21.2%
Somewhat
suited
31.8%
Not at all
suited
9.1%
Not suited
very well
30.3%
Extremely
well suited
3.0%
Î
Less than one-third of panelists (32.9 percent) are confident—and only 5.2 percent are “extremely confident”—that their
internal teams have the right expertise, skills and experience to support their data-driven initiatives
Î Panelists added that “data analytics,” more than anything else, represents the area where their organizations face the
greatest need for enhanced resources (with 88.4 percent of panelists indicating such a need)
Î However, analysts alone are unlikely support organizations’ efforts with respect to expanded use of data. True “data-
centric” organizations require experienced practitioners who bring strategic, analytical and real-world program execution
skillsets and experience. Finding these “unicorn” resources—talented marketers and data practitioners, and ideally
professionals who offer a dash of both—is typically very difficult, though panelists indicate that it’s easier and less
expensive to train existing team members rather than hire entirely new teams in an intensely competitive market
Î Beyond training and skills development, nearly two-thirds (63.9 percent) of panelists also agreed that a data-driven
organizational culture is essential to encourage audience-centric approaches and drive accountability—establishing an
environment where data-driven insights are cultivated, strategic thinkers are rewarded and innovation and “test-and-
learn” is encouraged
Î
In addition, a majority of panelists (71.2 percent) said their company’s compensation structures are not optimized to
promote the use of data—another common legacy of product- or media-oriented organizational structures where
objectives are not well aligned to business-wide goals
PANELISTS SAID...
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 14
“My teams don’t have the right skills today—or they don’t have the right mix of skills—but my desire isn’t to fire
everybody. I think that there are a lot of diamonds in the rough; they’ve never been asked to do certain things, but with a
little training and guidance I think we’ll get there.”
“We don’t expect people to do what they’re uncomfortable doing or not trained to do. We’re not trying to make TV ad sales
people become digital programmatic sales people. It’s about how we build the organization so our sales reps can support
any of the conversations they get into. We can bring in subject matter experts to support people in conversations that get
very specific rather than expecting everyone to do everything.”
“Over the years our focus in hiring has shifted from executional marketers—people who are trained to get out campaigns
across specific media—to cross-channel analytics professionals. They can execute as well, but they are also more
strategic to our organization.”
“When I joined the company, everybody thought that everyone should be compensated the same. There was definitely
some pushback when I suggested compensation should be more performance-based. I had to set the tone for this
different culture but now each individual in the organization has their own goals. It’s pretty important so that you can hold
people accountable.”
“We’re incented to work together to make the most money for the company, and it doesn’t matter where that money
lands. Everybody has a target, but if the money flows through various channels, none of that affects people’s comp. It’s
been a successful system. The last thing we need is people making decisions based on their personal incentives instead
of what’s right for the client and for our company.”
IN THEIR OWN
WORDS
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 15
58.5%
46.2%
43.1%
30.8%
26.2%
24.6%
Standing in the way of business transformation: organizational silos and other internal
process issues that hinder data access and sharing.
To what extent are you confident that your business processes
and organizational structures are geared to support the optimal
use of audience data?
1
Not at all
confident
3
Somewhat
confident
5
Extremely
confident
5.4%
28.4%
45.9%
15.5%
2.7%
Dissolving silos between business/functional groups
Standardizing key performance indicators and other metrics
Standardizing protocols for sharing and using data across our org
Centralizing ownership of data and its infrastructure
Designating a “chief data officer” to oversee data sourcing and use
Centralizing storage of all data assets
What changes would be most important in helping your
organization derive value from its future use of data?
Select the top three
4
2
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 16
Î
Few panelists (2.7 percent) are “extremely confident” that their companies’ business processes and organizational
structures are geared to support optimal use of available audience data; by contrast, just over a third of panelists (33.8
percent) have “little to no” confidence in the same
Î Across the board, data users complain that enterprise-class organizations—whether consumer or B2B focused, native
to the digital world or grounded in traditional channels—remain saddled with organizational structures and operating
protocols that are not geared to manage or derive optimal value from all the audience data at their disposal
Î A common process hurdle identified by a number of panelists: the lack of clear protocols that govern how data may
be shared within an organization, and between an organization and its respective business partners. Though many
enterprises maintain stringent policies to govern data collection and tactical usage, often these policies remain silent on
how such information may be repurposed for complimentary objectives, often hamstringing data stakeholders in their
attempts to leverage resources that already exist in their organizations
Î A majority of panelists (58.5 percent) agreed that more than anything else, dissolving the silos that continue to segregate
line-of-business and functional groups would represent the most important step their organizations could take to derive
value from their use of audience data; these silos keep data sets isolated, limiting the actionability of this information for
marketing efforts (and inhibiting seamless coordination of marketing channels, in general)
Î Though data users are adopting a range of organizational techniques to help overcome the limitations of legacy
infrastructure, few said that focusing exclusively on the central storage of data itself is likely to deliver immediate benefits.
When asked what kinds of administrative changes were most likely to return value to their organizations, over 40 percent
of panelists said “standardizing processes and protocols for using data across the organization” would merit investment.
By contrast, 30.8 percent said the same of “centralizing data ownership and infrastructure management” and just 24.6
percent endorsed “centralizing data storage” alone
PANELISTS SAID...
“We are challenged by our legacy—there are certain systems in place, and it’s much harder to re-engineer approaches,
processes, mindsets and infrastructure than it is to start from a blank slate.”
“Data’s been around in different ways at our company for a while, and it typically lives elsewhere—not necessarily
where it needs to be. There are lots of claims of ownership of the data, and the bigger companies tend to have already
established infrastructures that don’t always accommodate new market data.”
“A lot of our marketing channels have grown organically over time, so as things spring up, you don’t think about how they
integrate with everything else. There’s a legacy phenomenon. And it makes it challenging… I have multiple channels to
model for and my big pain point is that the metadata generated across these channels doesn’t always talk to each other.
I need to be able to tie one to the other to understand that performance.”
“In our case, subscription data is centrally stored, but advertising data is separate—and we’re engaged in an ongoing
effort to put everything in one place. That’s a hard job; you have to prove that there’s revenue upside to each of the
businesses in order to incent them to participate and change how they operate.”
“We work around known gaps. For example, we have a separate enterprise data warehouse (EDW) which is homegrown.
It’s separate from our customer information management system, which was built by a third party. And the two are not
connected. We try to match profiles from the EDW, but we’re not perfect. We’re always off slightly. It’s just a known bug.”
IN THEIR OWN
WORDS
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 17
As they look to significantly ramp up their investments in technology, data and service-driven
solutions over the next several years, data users are looking for their third-party partners to
elevate their support for the strategic functions underlying such investments—calling for
a renewed focus on business case development, technology assessment and holistic system
alignment as elements of a comprehensive approach to using data.
To what extent are you confident that your current marketing
technologies are well suited to support the optimal use of
audience data?
1
Not at all
confident
3
Somewhat
confident
5
Extremely
confident
8.3%
21.7%
26.7%
31.7%
10.0%
In what ways could your org best leverage
marketing technology to optimize the
value it generates through the use of
audience data?
Select the top three
49.3%
40.6%
34.8%
34.1%
32.6%
30.4%
29.7%
26.8%
19.6%
60.0%
60.0%
45.0%
38.3%
31.7%
Predictive analytics and modeling
Cross-channel measurement and
channel attribution
Campaign management (segmnetation
and audience selection)
Marketing automation/rules-driven
decisioning and messaging
CRM/prospect database management
Data management platform (“DMP”)
Campaign reporting and measurement
Data visualization
Data processing and hygiene
Formalizing an ongoing technology
assessment function to identify and prioritize
organizational needs/potential solutions
Developing more clear investment
cases to support selection/use of
marketing technologies
Leveraging the support of third parties
(consultancies, agencies, etc.) to support our
use of marketing technology
Centralizing technology management
with a department outside of IT
(e.g. marketing, operations, etc.)
Assembling a custom “stack”
of various technologies offered
by various providers
What specific technology functions
or features do you think will be most
important in supporting organizations’ efforts
to achieve value from their future use of data?
Select the top three
2
4
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 18
Î Though evolving to full “data-centricity” is a complicated and lengthy process, panelists agreed that the marketing
technology available today is generally capable of supporting most current enterprise needs and tactical use cases—so
long as those needs (and the performance objectives that correspond to them) are clearly identified. Perhaps more
challenging: determining which platforms are ideally suited to support both strategic and tactical objectives, and building
a plan to integrate those systems in a way that satisfies both short- and long-term needs
Î
Just 10 percent of panelists are “extremely confident” that their current toolsets are suited to support the optimal use of
audience data, though panelists have a wide range of opinions on which new or expanded features would deliver value as
part of renewed technology stack
Î 49.3 percent of panelists agreed that predictive analytics and audience segmentation represent the features they value
most in supporting technology platforms
Î
Lack of consensus around technology functions and types of needed tools reflects both the strength of the available
solutions—a plethora of platforms are available in market, supporting a variety of features—as well as the complicated
set of challenges facing today’s practitioners as they move engage data across a wider array of applications. (Perhaps not
surprisingly, panelists cited challenges with their organizational structures, data management protocols and talent gaps
as more pressing issues relative to any challenges they might be addressing with respect to their data management and
analytics technology)
Î Relatively few marketing or media companies have clearly structured roadmaps in place to guide the use of data—and
the expansion of data’s role—across their organizations. And where enterprising firms have taken steps to build such
roadmaps in the context of firm-wide data strategies, many have struggled with what is typically a daunting administrative
task; conflicting departmental structures, cultural obstacles and limited senior-level buy-in can all serve to undermine
these sweeping initiatives, even when supported with significant time and budgetary resources
Î A preponderance of panelists suggested a relatively straightforward approach may help support both tactical technology
implementations and more sweeping organizational change. Specifically, data stakeholders may benefit from a more
thoughtful approach to building a business case for their anticipated investments, leveraging a combination of agreed-
upon performance objectives and external benchmarks to help frame potential initiatives in terms of their real costs and
anticipated benefits
Î 60 percent of panelists, respectively, said that improving how they “build a credible business case [for data]” and
“formalize an ongoing technology assessment” are foremost among the tactics their organizations could take to generate
more value from their data initiatives
PANELISTS SAID...
“In our particular case, we’re in a low-margin business in a declining market, so getting the budget to make the
investments required to advance our marketing is tough. In order to get there we need to build a bulletproof investment
case, explaining the business reason for how these tools will pay off.”
“I have been laying out what we need with an architect to map our use cases in a methodical way so that we can
ascertain what platforms we need to drive those objectives. Explaining the business reasoning, though, is very different
than identifying the technical functions IT is looking to support in a certain tool. You have to address the business mindset
first to understand how to optimize and maximize the outcomes of those tools and platforms.”
IN THEIR OWN
WORDS
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 19
Going forward, data users are also likely to look to their supply chain partners to play
a more active role in supporting their day-to-day data-centric marketing and media
objectives—in particular, by helping leverage analytics to deliver strategic and campaign-
level insights.
Marketers: How well are your supply chain partners currently
supporting your organization’s efforts to derive value from its use
of data? Suppliers: To what extent do you and your clients’ other
suppliers provide the support that enables your clients to derive
value from their use of data?
1
Not supporting
efforts at all
3
Supporting efforts
to some extent
4
5
Supporting efforts
substantially
3.4%
1.4%
10.3%
2.8%
39.7%
33.3%
31.0%
34.7%
5.2%
18.1%
Marketers Supply Chain Partners
In what ways do you think partners could be most supportive of
their client organizations’ efforts to achieve value from the use of data?
Select the top three
56.0%
44.8%
39.2%
28.8%
28.0%
28.0%
25.6%
20.0%
14.4%
10.4%
Support our efforts to leverage analytics so as
to deliver more data-driven insights
Provide enhanced strategic advisory services
Provide independent support for our efforts to measure/
attribute the impact of our various data-related investments
Bring more case studies/best practices
from across our industry
Source/aggregate more (or better quality)
data from third parties
Provide support for our organizational/process changes
Provide training for our internal functional managers
Better coordinate efforts with other supply chain partners
Bring more case studies/best practices
from leaders across other industries
Revise their pricing and/or service models
to provide for expanded flexibility
2
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 20
Î Very few panelists (just 5.2 percent) said their supply chain partners currently offer “substantial support” in their efforts
to derive value from the use of data though nearly half (44.8 percent) said they would benefit from a deeper relationship
with their agencies, data providers, technology vendors and other supply-chain partners—with an eye, in particular, in
the role those parties may play in supporting strategic development and other roles that may go beyond their traditional
tactical role(s)
Î By and large, panelists said they look to their third-party suppliers—variously including agencies, marketing service
providers, data providers and technology developers—to support gaps in expertise and provide executional bandwidth.
Increasingly, though, more data users are turning to their supply chains as a source of inspiration with respect to the
innovation of their own data-centered use cases and supporting business processes; external partners are often seen as
offering unique cross-vertical insights that are particularly important in light of the rapid pace of change that characterizes
the data ecosystem. Enterprises that thus engage and manage these partnerships as a strategic priority—rather than an
exercise in cost-driven vendor management—may stand to enjoy lasting competitive advantage and an effective “first
mover” advantage
PANELISTS SAID...
“We lean heavily on partners to help us. A part of the value-add of using an agency is that it sees what’s happening in the
landscape. It’s easier to trial test the water, get into those new spaces using that model.”
“I don’t consider us database experts or technology experts; the level of sophistication in the company is lacking. So for
that, we outsource as much as we can to try to get best-in-breed technology and database services support, and then
keep our core competencies inside, which is our marketing know-how and our understanding of our customer and how
to talk to them.”
“The space is moving so rapidly on the tech side, it doesn’t make sense for us to have expertise in-house; I would rather
outsource the technology and have the contract speak to the technology stack so the vendor can manage the upgrades
and things like that.”
“On the whole we’re pretty well connected to our partners; we have a quarterly business review where all the vendors
participate, brainstorm and act as a unified team. They’re moving towards a more strategic collaboration. I’ve shown
them that I’m not pitting them against each other. It has become a much more strategic relationship, where they can
acknowledge mistakes and suggest solutions for greater business impact.”
IN THEIR OWN
WORDS
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 21
In many respects, the basic premise of this white paper—that “data-centricity” represents an
ideal likely to occupy the time and resources of enterprise marketers and media companies
over the coming years—suffers from a fatal flaw.
Sure, audience data is growing to play a profound role in the way that organizations look to
orchestrate their advertising, marketing and other customer-facing interactions. And yes, for
many organizations, achieving even a fraction of the potential value offered by data will
require a substantial reinvention of the way they do business. But the truth, of course,
is far more nuanced.
Since every organization’s data assets and related use cases are unique, “data-centricity,”
by its very nature, suggests that every organization will apply the benefits of information and
insight in fundamentally different ways. And so applying “once-size-fits-all” prescriptions to
their strategic growth is an exercise likely to provoke more questions than definitive solutions.
Rather than attempting to fit a unique journey to a generic roadmap, each organization must
begin its work recognizing that the evolution to “data-centric maturity” is a journey that has no
definitive destination—and is likely to be structured differently for all who attempt it.
Nevertheless, experience and feedback suggest that there are milestones on that pathway
which are common among these journeys and are becoming clearer every day. For many
enterprises—and even for many small and medium-sized organizations who aim to leverage
information in similar ways—those aspirational steps require focus on four essential operating
pillars common to the practice of marketing and media: people (as reflected in a focus on
staff development, training and compensation), processes (organizational structures, resource
sharing and collaboration), platforms (marketing technologies and other toolsets used to
manage audience data) and partners (third-party providers of strategic or executional support).
In thinking about structuring each to best support data use, our research suggests that the
path to data-centricity may best be facilitated through the following steps:

Î ASSESS… the information and technology assets that support a wider deployment of
data across your enterprise. But also focus on the organizational structures and sharing
protocols that govern how those assets are used. Are they geared to support collaboration
and growth? Or were they developed to support use cases, products and/or applications
that are no longer relevant?

Î
IDENTIFY… a series of strategic data use cases (and subsidiary/tactical use cases, as
appropriate) that align with your organization’s overarching business objectives. And if
you don’t fully know what those objectives are (or have trouble prioritizing them), engage
senior stakeholders in a broader dialogue over the potential power of information.
IN CONCLUSION
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 22

Î ARCHITECT… a modular infrastructure to support the long-term growth of your data
assets (and the applications to which they’re deployed), leveraging a combination of
technologies, supplier inputs and data sourced from both proprietary and external
sources. To the greatest extent possible, consider how to “future-proof” that system
through a design that allows for tools to be easily swapped as new solutions emerge and
business cases evolve.

Î
ENGAGE… a wide array of partners—agencies, marketing services providers, data
providers, third-party technology developers, business partners and others—in your
data enterprise as key forces for development and growth, recognizing that continuous
improvement will require innovation born from a multitude of sources. Few companies will
have the talent or bandwidth to do it all on their own.

Î And finally, CONTINUALLY REINVENT... your infrastructure, partnerships and use-case
hierarchy as business needs (and market conditions) demand. Continue investing in
talent that has both the skills to succeed and the professional pathways that support that
growth—within your organization.

DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 23
WINTERBERRY GROUP is a unique management consultancy that supports the growth of advertising,
marketing, media, information and technology organizations—helping clients create custom strategies,
capitalize on emerging opportunities and grow their value.
Our services include:
CORPORATE STRATEGY: The Opportunity Mapping strategic development process is geared to support
agencies, marketing service providers, technology developers and other firms in their efforts to prioritize
addressable pathways to growth and sort through complicated “buy-versus-build” decisions—as informed
by a synthesis of market insights and intensive internal analysis.
MARKET INTELLIGENCE: Our comprehensive research on industry trends, vertical markets and evolving
value chains provides in-depth analysis of key demand drivers, market developments and potential
opportunities.
MARKETING AND DATA TRANSFORMATION: Our process mapping, marketplace benchmarking, holistic
system engineering, use case analysis and vendor selection/RFP management offerings are grounded in
deep industry insights and “real-world” understandings—with a focus on helping marketers and media
companies better leverage their core assets and respond to growing demands for transformation driven by
the emergence of data, digital media and marketing technology.
TRANSACTIONAL DILIGENCE: Both financial and strategic investors turn to us to provide strategic and
operational diligence in support of their potential acquisitions in the advertising, marketing and media
industries; our target assessment and industry landscape research provide insight into trends, forecasts
and comparative transaction data needed for reliable financial model inputs, laying the right foundation for
value-focused ownership.
Additionally, Winterberry Group is differentiated through its affiliation with Petsky Prunier LLC, the leading
investment bank serving the technology, media, marketing, e-commerce and healthcare industries.
Together, the two firms provide one of the largest and most experienced sources of strategic and
transactional services in their addressable markets.
For more information, please visit www.winterberrygroup.com
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 24
IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH:
Founded in 1917, DMA is the community that champions deeper consumer engagement and business
value through the innovative and responsible use of data-driven marketing. DMA’s membership is made
up of today’s leading tech and data innovators, brand marketers, agencies, service providers and media
companies. By representing the entire marketing ecosystem – from demand side to supply side – DMA
is uniquely positioned to bring win/win solutions to the market and ensure that innovative and disruptive
marketing technology and techniques can be quickly applied for ROI.
DMA advances the data-driven marketing industry and serves its members through four principal pillars
of leadership: advocating for marketers’ ability to responsibly gather and refine detailed data; innovating
to bring solutions forward for marketers’ most vexing challenges; educating today’s marketers to grow
and lead marketing organizations in the ever-increasing omnichannel world; and connecting industry
participants to stay current, learn best practices and gain access to emerging solutions through &THEN –
the largest global event for data-driven marketing – and DMA’s portfolio of other live events.
For more information, please visit www.thedma.org
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 25
DATA
The IAB Data Center of Excellence was founded in January 2016 with the mission to define boundaries,
reduce friction and increase value along the data chain, for consumers, marketers and the ecosystem that
supports them. Its board of directors include:
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in
the digital economy. It is comprised of more than 650 leading media and technology companies that are
responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital advertising or marketing campaigns. Together, they
account for 86 percent of online advertising in the United States. Working with its member companies, the
IAB develops technical standards and best practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising,
while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital
marketing. The organization is committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills,
expertise, and diversity of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in
Washington, D.C., the IAB advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising
industry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City and
has a West Coast office in San Francisco.
For more information, please visit www.iab.com/datacenter
DATA
© 2016 Winterberry Group LLC. 26
SUPPORTING
SPONSORS:
Merkle is a global data-driven, technology-enabled performance marketing agency and the largest
independent agency in the US for CRM, digital, and search. For more than 25 years, Fortune 1000 companies
and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer
portfolios. The agency’s heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills
in understanding consumer insights. When combined with its strength in performance media, Merkle creates
customer experiences that drive improved marketing performance and shareholder value. With more than 3,400
employees, the privately held corporation is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland with 15 additional offices in
the US and offices in Barcelona, Bristol, London, Shanghai, and Nanjing.
For more information, please visit www.merkleinc.com
Data is the fuel that powers V12 Group. Warehousing over a decade’s worth of consumer, business,
automotive, and online records, V12 Group provides knowledge and insight to hundreds of firms enabling
them to achieve marketing success through the use of high-quality data. V12 Group’s data warehouse is one
of the largest and most respected in the data marketing industry. It is constructed of hundreds of compiled
and proprietary data sources, utilizes a triple verification process, and is built from the individual level up to the
household.
For more information, please visit www.v12groupinc.com
Valassis is a leader in intelligent media delivery, providing over 58,000 clients with innovative media solutions to
influence consumers wherever they plan, shop, buy and share. By integrating online and offline data combined
with powerful insights, Valassis precisely targets its clients’ most valuable shoppers, offering unparalleled reach
and scale. NCH Marketing Services, Inc. and Clipper Magazine are Valassis subsidiaries, and RedPlum® is
its consumer brand. Its signature Have You Seen Me?® program delivers hope to missing children and their
families. Valassis is a wholly owned subsidiary of Harland Clarke Holdings.
For more information, please visit www.valassis.com