The Importance of Marketers Working Closely with Data Teams for Optimal Outcomes

At the recent Resilient Marketing event hosted by CIM South East and Henley Business School, Rachel Magnay and Karina Korpela from Invesco Asset Management emphasised the critical role of collaboration between marketing and data teams in driving impactful campaigns. Their talk highlighted how aligning these two functions not only enhances marketing effectiveness but also fosters resilience, adaptability, and innovation within organisations.

Both Magnay and Korpela feel that today’s marketing landscape demands a data-driven approach, where insights guide decisions across customer engagement, campaign targeting, and content personalisation. However, achieving these outcomes relies on more than just having access to data, it requires marketers and data teams to work in unison to extract actionable insights. Magnay pointed out that while marketers bring customer understanding, data experts possess the technical ability to transform raw data into insights that inform and sharpen campaign strategies.

One key takeaway was the value of cross-functional understanding. Marketers who collaborate closely with data teams develop a stronger grasp of data capabilities and limitations, leading to more realistic expectations and innovative problem-solving. Korpela explained how this partnership enables marketers to ask the right questions, assess the viability of metrics, and ensure that campaigns are optimised based on real-time insights rather than assumptions.

Furthermore, the speakers stressed the impact of this collaboration on measuring success and demonstrating value. Effective marketing is no longer just about creativity, it’s about proving ROI through metrics that resonate with business goals. Working with data teams allows marketers to build dashboards and reporting frameworks that clearly convey the impact of marketing activities to stakeholders, enhancing transparency and securing buy-in for future initiatives.

In closing, Magnay and Korpela encouraged marketers to actively seek out and nurture relationships with data teams. By doing so, they not only enhance their ability to deliver high-impact, resilient marketing strategies but also position themselves at the forefront of an industry increasingly shaped by data-driven insights.