Younger Creatives In U.K. Face 'Experience Gap' In Data-Driven Marketing

A study released Thursday by ad-tech company Turn found that younger creatives in the U.K. are not entirely comfortable with using programmatic marketing solutions.

According to the survey of industry professionals from both large and small agencies across the U.K., 77% of millennial creatives say programmatic insights are not central to developing relevant advertising.

“Younger creatives may feel confident they understand tech, but have less experience in data-driven marketing,” Jonathan Gardner, vice president of communications at Turn, told Real-Time Daily via email.

“There is perhaps an ‘experience gap,’” continued Gardner. “This is something the industry can invest in, helping to upskill and train the future leaders who will push programmatic forward.”

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Small creative agencies in particular face serious difficulties when wading into the field of programmatic marketing, with a meager 11% of these agencies saying they feel comfortable saying they understand programmatic. Meanwhile, 59% of large agencies say they grasp programmatic.

The study also highlights the central role data and insights play in the creative marketing process.

A significant 88% of respondents across agencies of all sizes say they depend on data when creating personalized ads. A similarly hefty 65% say that at least half, if not all, the work they do uses data sets to inform creative and messaging.

The process of accessing this data, however, is not particularly streamlined, according to the survey. More than one-third (35%) of respondents say that the greatest challenge to producing a successful campaign comes from difficulties receiving data insights from brands.

“The way that data insights, including those from programmatic advertising, are used or shared are the most important issues affecting the industry,” states Richard Robinson, managing director of EMEA at Turn.

When it comes to ad targeting and performance, data is clearly a central piece to the puzzle. Regardless of size, 67% of agencies agree that relevant data is crucial to digital ads. Likewise, 60% say that location data is a top priority when planning digital ad campaigns;  59% believe that data is most important for timing an ad correctly.

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