Data Modernization in Consumer Products: Regional Deep Dives (EMEA, APAC, LATAM, North America)

In the rapidly evolving world of consumer products (CP), data modernization is not a one-size-fits-all journey. While the imperative to harness data for growth, efficiency, and customer loyalty is universal, the path to success is shaped by regional nuances—ranging from regulatory environments and digital maturity to consumer expectations and market dynamics. At Publicis Sapient, we help CP organizations navigate these complexities, delivering tailored data strategies that unlock value in every geography.

Across the globe, CP companies face mounting pressure to innovate, personalize at scale, and respond to shifting consumer behaviors. The rise of direct-to-consumer (D2C) models, omnichannel commerce, and new digital touchpoints has created a wealth of first-party data. Yet, many organizations still struggle with fragmented data landscapes, legacy systems, and the challenge of scaling artificial intelligence (AI) beyond marketing. Data modernization—unifying, activating, and governing data across the enterprise—is the foundation for meeting these challenges and seizing new opportunities.

Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) present a diverse landscape, with advanced digital markets alongside emerging economies. The region is defined by stringent data privacy regulations, most notably the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which sets a high bar for data governance, consent management, and consumer trust. Leading CP firms in EMEA are:

• Investing in robust data governance frameworks to ensure compliance and build consumer confidence.
• Prioritizing the creation of unified customer profiles through enterprise-ready customer data platforms (CDPs), enabling real-time personalization and advanced segmentation.
• Embracing agile, cross-functional teams to break down silos and accelerate innovation, particularly in mature markets like the UK, Germany, and France.
• Leveraging AI and analytics not just in marketing, but across supply chain and product development, driving operational efficiency and sustainability.

A leading UK grocer, for example, doubled online order capacity in less than a week during a surge in demand by leveraging AI-powered demand planning and flexible, cloud-based infrastructure—demonstrating the region’s ability to scale data-driven solutions rapidly.

Asia-Pacific (APAC) is characterized by rapid digital adoption, mobile-first consumers, and a dynamic mix of mature and emerging markets. Here, CP companies are:

• Harnessing the explosion of first-party data from mobile, social, and e-commerce platforms to drive hyper-personalized experiences.
• Building composable, cloud-native data architectures that support rapid onboarding of new brands and channels—a necessity in fast-growing markets like China, India, and Southeast Asia.
• Navigating a patchwork of local data privacy laws, requiring flexible governance models and strong local partnerships.
• Prioritizing agility and speed to market, with many organizations adopting federated or hybrid operating models to balance global standards with local innovation.

A global beauty leader in APAC launched over 60 D2C sites using agile delivery and cloud-based platforms, reducing time-to-market for new brands from months to weeks and boosting consumer engagement—a testament to the region’s appetite for digital transformation.

Latin America (LATAM) presents unique challenges: economic volatility, diverse regulatory environments, and varying levels of digital maturity. Yet, the region is also a hotbed of innovation, with CP firms:

• Accelerating digital transformation to meet rising consumer expectations for convenience, personalization, and omnichannel engagement.
• Investing in data platforms that unify fragmented sources, enabling better demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and targeted marketing.
• Navigating evolving data privacy regulations, such as Brazil’s LGPD, by building transparent value exchange strategies and robust consent management processes.
• Leveraging data to drive operational efficiency and new revenue streams, such as retail media networks and D2C models.

A multinational CP firm in LATAM modernized its MarTech ecosystem, capturing billions of consumer IDs and enabling personalized engagement across 147 brands in 75 countries—showcasing the region’s potential to scale data-driven innovation.

North America is home to some of the world’s most digitally mature CP organizations, but also faces intense competition and rapidly evolving consumer expectations. Key trends include:

• Deep investments in AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics to drive personalization, dynamic pricing, and supply chain optimization.
• A strong focus on data monetization, with CP firms building retail media networks and leveraging first-party data to unlock new revenue streams.
• Navigating a complex regulatory landscape, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), by embedding privacy-by-design principles and transparent data practices.
• Embracing agile operating models and cross-functional teams to accelerate innovation and respond to market shifts.

A leading US grocer partnered with Publicis Sapient to build a digital marketing platform and CDP, linking myriad data sources across the enterprise. The result: a 75% increase in component reusability, 75% faster campaign curation, and a 25% increase in conversion rates—demonstrating the tangible impact of data modernization at scale.

At Publicis Sapient, we recognize that successful data modernization requires both global best practices and deep local expertise. Our SPEED model—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data & AI—ensures that every initiative is:

• Strategically aligned to business goals and regional realities
• Product-led and co-innovated with clients for tangible outcomes
• Experience-centric, enhancing both customer and employee journeys
• Engineered for agility, leveraging cloud-native, composable architectures
• Data & AI-enabled from the outset, turning insight into action

We partner with leading technology providers and bring a proven track record of delivering measurable business outcomes for CP firms in every region.

As the consumer products landscape continues to evolve, data modernization is not just a technology upgrade—it’s a strategic enabler of growth, resilience, and customer-centricity. The winners will be those who can adapt global frameworks to local realities, unify and activate data across touchpoints, and foster a culture of continuous innovation.

Wherever you are on your data modernization journey—EMEA, APAC, LATAM, or North America—Publicis Sapient stands ready to help you unlock the next wave of value. Let’s build the future of consumer products, together.

Relevant Links

• 5 Steps to Data Modernization in Consumer Products: An Assessment Checklist
• Data Modernization for Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Transformation in Consumer Products
• Building a Data-Driven Insights Organization: From Siloed Data to Actionable Intelligence in Consumer Products
• 5 Steps to Data Modernization in Consumer Products: An Assessment Checklist
• Transformación impulsada por datos en productos de consumo: El camino hacia la inteligencia empresarial en América Latina (LATAM)
• Transformación impulsada por datos en productos de consumo: El camino hacia la inteligencia empresarial en América Latina (LATAM)
• Transformación basada en datos en productos de consumo: El camino hacia la inteligencia empresarial en América Latina (LATAM)
• Transformation numérique des produits de grande consommation en Europe : De la donnée à l’intelligence métier (Europe)
• Les organisations pilotées par la donnée : transformer les produits de grande consommation en Europe (Europe)