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How to leverage data driven insights to inform creative direction and execution
Mumbai:India by 2030, will have almost a billion active screens. Of this, around 240 million will be large (TV, laptop, PC) and the balance will be small (mobile phones, phablets). Maintaining creative consistency while effectively engaging audiences is very essential in the world of digital marketing. Data analytics has emerged as a powerful tool to achieve this balance, providing actionable insights that drive informed decision-making.
By leveraging data analytics, advertisers can maintain creative consistency while adapting to the dynamic needs of their audience. This approach not only enhances brand loyalty but also drives business growth through more effective and engaging advertising strategies.
While intuition and experience have traditionally guided creative decisions, data analytics now offers precise, actionable insights that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of creative strategies. By analyzing data related to locations, demographics, gender differences, and conversions, advertisers can refine their creative direction and execution to maximize impact.
Insights related to Line of Communication (LOC)
Data-driven insights play a pivotal role in refining the line of communication, particularly in the dynamic landscape of ecommerce. By harnessing data analytics, businesses can identify which forms of communication resonate most effectively with consumers. From performance marketing campaigns to social media posts, data unveils the nuances of customer engagement, revealing which channels drive views, purchases, and website traffic. Moreover, it provides crucial feedback on the effectiveness of communication strategies, pinpointing areas where engagement falls short of conversion. Equipped with these insights, businesses can tailor their messaging, optimizing communication to foster stronger connections with their target audience and drive measurable results. For example, if UGC is working really well for the beauty industry, then the concerned brands can take action to double down on influencer collaborations for their digital campaigns. The influencer marketing industry will continue to develop rapidly by 2028, with more than 80% of brands spending up to 30 per cent of their marketing budget on influencer marketing. Brands must identify influencers in the beauty niche with high engagement rates and authentic audience connections and incorporate them in their campaigns.
Demographic insights
Demographic data provides a wealth of information about the audience’s age, income level, education, and more. Analyzing these variables helps advertisers create more targeted and relevant content. For instance, an advertisement aimed at millennials might emphasize modern, tech-savvy visuals and language, while a campaign targeting older adults might focus on traditional values and simpler design elements.
Gender differences
Data analytics offer invaluable insights into the distinct ways males and females engage with marketing creatives. For example, an analysis might indicate that males tend to show higher engagement with advertisements featuring action-packed visuals or product demonstrations while females may exhibit a stronger affinity towards emotionally resonant storytelling or advertisements highlighting social impact. By identifying these nuanced responses, businesses can tailor their marketing strategies accordingly, crafting content that resonates authentically with each gender segment.
Conversions and High Click-Through Rates (CTR)
One of the most critical insights from data analysis is the disparity between high CTR and low conversions. This scenario indicates that while the creative is compelling enough to attract clicks, it fails to drive the desired action. By analyzing the point of drop-off, advertisers can identify weaknesses in the creative execution or the landing page experience. Adjustments such as clearer CTAs, more relevant content, or a more streamlined user experience can bridge this gap and enhance conversion rates. For example, in one of ETML’s partner brands having perfume as a SKU, data analysis indicated that showcasing the ingredients of a perfume in an ad resulted in high CTR, but the TG used to drop off during checkout. Same TG made huge purchases using ads highlighting the smell notes of the perfume. Hence, by studying this behavior, even though the earlier ads had high CTR, those were discontinued and new ads highlighting smell notes were incorporated ultimately improving the overall RoAS by 57%.
Performance vs. Branding Creatives
Balancing performance-driven and branding creatives is essential. Performance creatives are designed to drive immediate actions, like add to carts or purchases, while branding creatives focus on long-term brand recognition and loyalty. Data driven insights help in understanding which type of creative resonates more with the audience at different stages of the customer journey. This understanding allows for strategic placement of performance creatives to drive immediate results and branding creatives to build lasting relationships. For example, a performance focused creative of a home appliances brand would focus on USPs, benefits, usage with clear CTAs to perform a website action usually Add to cart, Initiate checkout or Purchase but the same brand would focus on their values and identity in the market using creatives when they would shift their focus on branding campaigns.
CTAs on Creatives
The call-to-action (CTA) is a crucial element in any creative. Data helps determine the most effective CTAs by analyzing which prompts lead to the highest engagement and conversions. Whether it’s a simple “Buy Now” or a more nuanced “Learn More,” the right CTA can significantly influence the success of an ad campaign.
Enhancing Creative Strategies
Data Collection: Centralize data from various sources to gain a comprehensive view of consumer behavior and preferences.
Segmentation: Break down the data by LOCs, demographics, gender, and behavior to understand the nuances of different audience segments.
Testing and Optimization: Use A/B testing to experiment with different creative elements and continuously optimize based on performance data.
Iterative Approach: Regularly update creatives based on the latest data insights to maintain relevance and effectiveness.
Conclusion
Leveraging data-driven insights transforms the creative process from a purely intuitive art to a precise science. By analyzing consumer behavior and preferences, businesses can uncover invaluable information that informs every aspect of their creative endeavors. From refining messaging and visuals to optimizing delivery channels, data empowers marketers to make informed decisions that resonate deeply with their target audience. Ultimately, this integration of data into the creative process enhances effectiveness, driving engagement, conversions, and long-term success in today’s competitive landscape.
This article has been authored by ETML co-founder and CCO Rajeev Garg
Brands
TCS and ServiceNow join forces to fast-track AI in enterprises
New partnership aims to turn clunky workflows into smart, self-learning engines
MUMBAI: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and ServiceNow have teamed up to help businesses move from AI experiments to full-scale adoption. The multi-year partnership will see TCS building industry-specific AI solutions on the ServiceNow platform, transforming slow, manual processes into intelligent, autonomous workflows that learn and improve over time.
Enterprises are eager for smarter ways to handle back-office functions like HR, finance, supply chain, procurement, and employee services. With this collaboration, TCS will offer AI-led solutions that bring together trusted AI, modern workflows, and deep industry knowledge, helping businesses work faster, smarter, and more efficiently.
ServiceNow president and chief product officer Amit Zavery said, “Enterprises need partners who can combine innovation, execution, and governance. Together with TCS, we are embedding AI directly into workflows, modernising legacy systems, and driving measurable results.”
TCS executive director and COO Aarthi Subramanian added, “Companies are ready to move beyond pilots to enterprise-wide transformation. Our partnership will embed intelligence across IT, operations, and customer functions, unlocking speed, efficiency, and lasting advantage.”
The solutions are designed to break down silos, giving organisations a holistic, insight-driven view. HR operations, for instance, could shift from fragmented services to a smooth hire-to-retire lifecycle, boosting productivity and engagement. Similarly, order processing could evolve from a slow, multi-step cycle into a fast-moving engine that drives revenue and cash flow.
TCS is already ServiceNow’s largest user for IT Asset Management, rolling out the system across thousands of devices in just three months. Both companies will also invest in co-innovation labs, solution showcases, and joint go-to-market initiatives to bring these AI capabilities to clients.
With this partnership, enterprises can look forward to workflows that think for themselves, helping businesses stay ahead in the AI era.
