Data month continues at IAB Canada and as we prepare for our Report on Data event on November 30th, we have been connecting with some of our valued members to explore topics that range from privacy and brand safety to the implications of AI and yes, even the metaverse. This week we caught up with IAB Canada member Andrew Myers, Head of Advanced Advertising & GTM at Rogers Sports & Media (RSM). RSM exists to reimagine the future of sports and media by innovating at the intersection of data, technology, and audience engagement.
IAB Canada (IABC): How does Rogers Sports and Media work with data?
Rogers: Over the last four years, RSM has built R.E.D. (Rogers Enabled Data) to power Advanced Advertising capabilities. At the core, data is used to improve the ad experience for both our customers/marketers and our end consumers. RSM uses our first part party deterministic data as well as a number of technology partners to stitch together the best possible solution for marketers to deliver on this promise.
IABC: What does data mean to you?
Rogers: Data is a signal, a piece of information. Data in media/marketing is typically associated to a user, whether deterministically or probabilistically. These signals are what help us define who an audience is, what they like and how they respond.
IABC: What are you excited about for 2022?
Rogers: 2022 is the year that Advanced Advertising becomes mainstream. We’re already seeing it. From Connected TV, to audience segmentation, to advanced measurement, marketers are using Advanced Strategies in their everyday buys. As the cookie crumbles, marketers are hungry for more, looking to have more sophisticated data conversations, and we’re excited about it. In 2022, the Rogers/Shaw merger will come to a close and this will be an exciting time for all Canadians and marketers. For the first time, there will be a truly national cable and wireless company that will be able to use data in a unified and responsible way for the improvement of marketing efforts from coast-to-coast.
IABC: How should advertisers go about leveraging data to make informed decisions?
Rogers: First off, start by building out your marketing data strategy. Do you have first party data? How can you build a plan to incrementally capture more data at every touch point? From there, it’s about developing a framework for testing new ways of targeting, executing and measuring your campaign. At Rogers Sports and Media, we talk a lot about the learning journeys that we take when working with marketers on their data-led strategies and this is a key way for marketers to find the right mix of art and science in data-driven strategies.
On Tuesday, November 30th we invite you to join us for our annual Report on Data Event where we will be joined by a stellar line up of speakers who will be sharing their perspective on the role of data in today’s complex ecosystem. You can find the full agenda and register here.