AIM Interviews: Uli Heimann, Managing Partner Programmatic Data Strategy at Omnicom Media Group Germany
As part of our Audiences In Motion Interview series, we talked to Uli Heimann, Managing Partner Programmatic Data Strategy at Omnicom Media Group Germany. Heimann shared with us invaluable insights on the importance of different data types and the challenges on mobile programmatic.
Data is changing the world and the way companies connect with consumers. How is it impacting advertising?
The pressure is on companies to be more efficient in both how they operate and market to customers. In both cases data is part of the solution. Data is also one of the ‘levels’ of programmatic advertising. It’s not just about buying on an ad impression level because there is a data layer that is available and can help enable a better buying decision. In this sense data is the tipping point. From this perspective, data also helps in the activation part of the equation, making it possible to address the right audience in the right situation at the right time and in the right geography. Data is also key in analytics and in that part of the equation, allowing proper attribution to prove advertising success.
“It is really important to be transparent when it comes to the sources of the data that you’re using for campaigns.” — Uli Heimann, Director Programmatic Data Strategy at Omnicom Media Group Germany
You indicate that context is essential. What is the importance of location?
I think location has an impact on certain KPIs and advertisers. This is because location can be an indication that an individual has a certain interest, intent or occupation. For example, students are likely to be in the vicinity of a university campus. That location data, if it is not static, helps when matching the product, you want to sell with the audience you want to sell it to. Location certainly works hand-in-hand to ensure you can push more personalized content and advertising, and that results in better ROI.
How does location and context change the business of advertising?
It’s important to focus on identifying the right audience and addressing the members of that audience. But, in order to really have impact, you also need to adapt the creative to the right audience. In other words, the website content, the dynamic creative optimization and the content targeting — or CMS targeting — also become part of the game and part of what you need to focus on to make the customer journey, and the advertising, successful in terms of relevance, impact and KPIs.
What are the chief challenges related to mobile programmatic campaigns and the data that drives them?
The big challenge is transparency, which is even more crucial if you consider third-party data. If the suppliers are not disclosing the source of the data, then it’s obviously a real challenge to judge the value of the data and to determine if they are really delivering what they promise.
How is the rise of mobile programmatic and data impacting your role as an agency?
Clients range from those that understand programmatic and are running data-driven campaigns to clients that are just beginning to experiment. But clients in general would welcome — and appreciate — more education and consulting. We are doing exactly this, consulting and helping our clients think realistically about their campaign goals and the role of data in achieving them.
