AI has been in the spotlight a lot lately, but it means nothing without datasets.
In honor of the interconnectedness of data, agency holding company Dentsu has created a new Data and Technology Group. And in March, Silli Zelser was named Dentsu's first chief data technology officer to lead the group.
In his new role, Zelcer will oversee three areas of products and platforms, including Mercury, GenCX and Dentsu Connect. Analytics and insights across analytics, attribution, and data engineering. Global services including Dentsu's creative, media, and customer experience management businesses.
Mr. Zelcer spent 18 years at Merkle, Dentsu's performance marketing and data division, most recently as global head of analytics and technology. So she developed her GenCX AI, which uses generative AI to combine first-party and third-party data.
Zelcer said Dentsu plans to integrate GenCX with Mercury, the company's person-based (as opposed to cookie-based) identity resolution platform. holdco uses generative AI to create audience segments and lookalike audiences faster and more accurately based on clients' first-party data and Merkury's third-party data.
Zelcer has been in the data and analytics field for a long time, long enough to see the term “big data” rise and fall.
“The vast amount of data we have at our fingertips today compared to when I started my career more than 20 years ago is all big data,” she said.
Zelcer spoke to AdExchanger.
Have you noticed any regional differences in your global role?
Yes, especially when it comes to data.
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EMEA has different laws regarding first-party data and what you can and cannot do in terms of media and measurement. For multinational brands, it's important to understand the nuances of data, identity, and measurement to ensure consistency, but also consider the different regulations in each market.
In EMEA, we cannot collect information about individuals. It needs to be more segment-based. Things change for first-party and third-party data. You can mark it differently if your customer has opted in and given you the right to use their data.
There are geographic restrictions in different regions around the world [to data collection]. For example, you may be able to capture demographic information down to the zip code level, but not down to the household level.
AI law was recently passed in the EU. What is Dentsu's position regarding this action?
We are just scratching the surface of regulation, and regulation has yet to catch up to the full capabilities of generative AI. Our perspective is: We protect our clients' data as much as possible and ensure that false information does not fall into the hands of anyone.
but [apart] The generative AI work we're doing is international in terms of identity and data. There's nothing stopping us from using the models we're building around the world.
On a different note, how are your discussions with clients about eliminating third-party cookies?
The whole premise of Merkury is to target media activation to individuals rather than cookies. We're working with clients on building identity graphs and how to make it possible to identify individuals after cookies are gone.
What do you recommend?
Knowledge is power.Please be sure to know [signal loss] This means changes to how we do business today, from how we buy media to how we measure performance.
Create a roadmap. You don't have to change everything from day one. Make sure you have a strong identity. Make sure you have the right tools in place and try migrating some of your data to them.
More brands will realize they need to leverage their data. Brands that do that in a meaningful way will stay ahead of the curve.
This interview has been edited and condensed.