Marketing today is no longer merely a matter of communication, creative solutions, or brand visibility. It is increasingly becoming one of the key drivers of business growth. At a time when the economy is slowing, markets are fragmenting, and consumers have higher and more clearly defined expectations, it is becoming evident that competitive advantage will belong to companies that no longer manage marketing manually, but instead manage it systematically, supported by data and technology.
How can a unified strategy be managed in an environment where every consumer is different? How can efficiency be ensured when manual optimisation can no longer keep pace with the speed of change? Today, the answer does not lie in doing more work, but in using technology more intelligently. The synergy of first-party data, artificial intelligence, and a programmatic approach enables a global strategy that can simultaneously adapt to local differences.
From creative to intelligent marketing
For many years, marketing relied primarily on experience, intuition, and the analysis of past results. The approach had its purpose – and still does – but in the current environment, it is no longer sufficient. The speed of change, the number of channels, and the diversity of user behaviour have exceeded the limits of manual efforts.
Artificial intelligence enables a transition to what is known as intelligent marketing. This is not an overnight revolution, but a gradual evolution in which systems analyse data in real time, identify patterns, and help optimise decisions faster than is possible within traditional processes alone. Companies that fail to make this shift will fall behind, regardless of brand strength or budget size.
First-party data as a strategic business asset
In a world after third-party cookies, first-party data has become one of the most important strategic resources for companies. This is true not only from a marketing perspective, but also in terms of the overall customers relationship. This data is generated through direct interactions with users on proprietary digital platforms, including purchases, registrations, and other engagements. Its value lies not only in accuracy, but also in trust and regulatory compliance. Companies that control their own data have greater control over their future in the digital environment.
With the iPROM Private DMP solution, advertisers can securely collect data, identify behavioural patterns, and create precise segments based on real customer needs.
As a result, the key question for decision-makers today is no longer whether to invest in data foundations, but how to build them quickly and effectively connect them with marketing and sales activities.
Artificial intelligence as support for better business decisions and creative solutions
Static adverts cannot keep pace with the diversity of markets and the rapid changes in user behaviour. This is why artificial intelligence has become a central element of modern advertising strategies.
AI-powered dynamic creatives enable advertising content to adapt in real time to location, time of day, device, interests, and individual user behaviour. Each user receives content that is most relevant to them.
For brands, this means higher engagement, significantly improved click-through rates, and better conversions. For marketing professionals, it provides an efficient path to achieving a high level of personalisation across multiple markets simultaneously, without the need to manually create countless ad variations.
For decision-makers, artificial intelligence is not a tool that replaces people. Its true value lies in improving the quality of decision-making. It allows leadership teams to focus on strategic choices, while systems automatically handle optimisation of execution.
In practice, this means better budget allocation based on actual performance, personalisation at a scale that cannot be achieved manually, continuous adjustment of strategies in response to market signals, and a clearer, more measurable impact of marketing on business results. Marketing thus gradually becomes more predictable, more transparent, and more directly linked to revenue growth.
Programmatic as the operational layer of strategy
Programmatic advertising, combined with artificial intelligence and data, represents the operational layer of modern marketing strategy. It is no longer solely about automated media buying, but about an integrated system that connects objectives, data, creatives, and media channels into a unified ecosystem.
This approach enables greater control over media investments, deeper personalisation, faster adaptation to conditions in individual markets, and the ability to manage a unified global strategy that remains flexible enough to accommodate local specificities.
Key takeaways for decision-makers
- Budgets must follow the user. Uniform budget allocation is no longer effective. Artificial intelligence enables the continuous reallocation of investment to where results are strongest.
- Success comes from connecting global strategy with local insight. Winning companies combine technological capabilities with a deep understanding of local markets.
- Speed of decision-making is becoming a measure of competitiveness.The digital environment demands rapid responses. Automation delivers a level of speed that cannot be achieved manually.
Case study 1 – SPAR Tailormade: from purchase preferences to personal communication
For company SPAR Slovenia, data from digital channels was connected with purchase behaviour data from the Spar Plus loyalty card programme using iPROM Private DMP, enabling the creation of personalised messages for individual users. The iPROM Spider Ad™ solution adjusted advertising content in real time based on user interests and behaviour.
The results included improved response rates, more efficient budget allocation, and greater relevance of communication. In this case, personalisation was not merely an enhancement but the foundation of an improved user experience.
Case study 2 – Ljubljana Airport: when the system learns from every interaction
For company Fraport Slovenia, an advertising platform was developed that integrates first-party data with digital media buying. This enables the airport to reach both Slovenian and international passengers across different markets and manage communication based on actual behavioural patterns.
In 2024, the Ljubljana Airport FLY platform was upgraded using reinforcement learning methods. The system does not optimise only once, but continuously learns from user responses. Each interaction becomes a signal that influences future ad delivery and gradually improves targeting accuracy and budget efficiency.
The result of this continuous learning was a 30 per cent increase in conversions. More importantly, the platform now operates as a living ecosystem that constantly adapts to market changes, seasonal influences, and shifts in consumer behaviour. This demonstrates that integrating first-party data, artificial intelligence, and programmatic media buying creates a sustainable competitive advantage.
Data and artificial intelligence as the new basis of competitive advantage
Digital advertising across multiple markets remains complex, but modern technologies significantly reduce this complexity while improving effectiveness. Solutions such as iPROM Private DMP and advanced dynamic creative tools enable companies to execute campaigns that are locally relevant, globally consistent, and commercially effective.
The SPAR Tailormade and Ljubljana Airport FLY examples clearly show that the combination of data, artificial intelligence, and programmatic media buying does not merely optimise communication, but enhances overall business performance. As consumers increasingly expect personalisation and markets demand agility, this synergy is becoming a critical foundation for success.