Writing for Marketing magazin, Simon Cetin, Partner at iPROM and Head of Retoba, summed up the key achievements and projects that defined 2024 and outlined the trends set to shape the future of advertising in the coming years. He highlighted the innovative use of first-party data and advanced AI solutions, poised to define new standards in personalisation and user experience.
For iPROM, 2024 was a year of continued focus on first-party data as a cornerstone of digital advertising.
“Our comprehensive strategies combine data protection with its effective use for personalised marketing and targeted advertising. We’ve seen a notable shift in market sentiment regarding the value of this data, recognising its significance extending beyond the bottom of the funnel to the reinforcement of brand strength at the top. At the same time, we are advancing innovative ways of integrating AI into analytics, targeting and personalised content creation, boosting efficiency and creativity,” Simon Cetin shared with Marketing magazin.
Over the past year, Retoba has been conducting research into autonomous conversational systems powered by generative artificial intelligence. In partnership with Emil Frey, they are integrating conversational marketing into the pre-purchase processes in the automotive industry. Collaborating with Gym24, they are developing an advanced solution in sports, debuting as a personal AI trainer in its initial phase. In addition, Retoba worked with Kotányi to enter the gastronomy segment, unveiling an AI-Chef demo for the Slovenian market. The AI-Ched works as a conversational assistant to personalise culinary experiences. They are also working with Playground 123 to develop a predictive personalisation assistant for gaming, currently undergoing testing in twelve markets.
“These projects demonstrate how AI is reshaping user experiences and setting new industry benchmarks. Expectations for 2025 are focused on expanding the applicability of generative AI within our existing technology tools and processes. Protecting and intelligently using first-party data will remain key areas for our focus and changes will shape the business models for buying ad space,” Cetin adds.
He also expects conversational marketing to command a larger share of marketing budgets as companies explore the shift from search to conversational marketing.
“Success will come from flexibility, interdisciplinarity and effective management of new technologies and opportunities. Our vision for 2025 is clear: to revolutionize marketing and purchasing processes through innovation and smart solutions, to improve the customer experience and increase the efficiency of our sites,” concludes Cetin.
This commentary was first published in Marketing magazin in the article 2024 AS A WHEEL OF CHALLENGES (MM 522, p. 65), and subsequently on the Marketing magazin website in the article 2024 AS A WHEEL OF CHALLENGES, PART 6.