In today’s rapidly evolving consumer landscape, the most successful consumer products (CP) companies are those that move beyond isolated data initiatives—like a single product launch—and instead embed intelligence, analytics, and first-party data strategies across their entire business. The journey from launching a data-powered campaign to becoming a truly intelligence-driven organization is transformative, requiring a holistic approach to data, technology, and culture. Here’s how CP firms can make that leap, drawing on proven frameworks and real-world examples.
Many CP companies have made significant investments in digital infrastructure, yet struggle to realize the full value of their data. In fact, less than one percent of data collected by CP firms is actually analyzed, leaving vast opportunities untapped. The challenge is not just about collecting more data, but about uniting data sources, scaling analytics, and embedding intelligence into every business function—from product development to customer engagement and supply chain management.
The modern shopper journey is inherently digital, spanning online and offline channels. First-party data—collected directly from consumer interactions—offers the deepest insights into these journeys. Unlike third-party data, first-party data is timely, accurate, and uniquely tailored to your brand’s relationship with its customers. By capturing data across every owned channel, CP firms can fill critical gaps, understand consumer preferences, and respond in real time to shifting demands.
The first step is breaking down silos and creating a single source of truth. This means integrating data from all touchpoints—sales, marketing, product usage, customer service, and more—into a centralized platform. For example, Maytag’s Pet Pro System launch was underpinned by a robust data strategy and a semi-real-time dashboard, enabling the team to monitor the full customer journey and optimize campaigns on the fly. Similarly, leading CP firms have implemented customer data platforms (CDPs) that aggregate first-, second-, and third-party data, unlocking a 360-degree view of the consumer.
Once data is unified, the next step is to build advanced analytics and AI capabilities. This enables organizations to:
A global restaurant chain, for instance, leveraged machine learning to automate the creation of campaign audiences and accelerate test-and-learn cycles, resulting in a 5x increase in testing velocity and a measurable lift in sales and guest count. Another global CP firm implemented a proprietary MarTech platform supporting over 147 brands in 75 countries, establishing billions of consumer IDs and enabling meaningful one-to-one relationships.
Intelligence-driven organizations don’t just generate insights—they act on them. This means embedding analytics into decision-making processes across functions:
For example, a leading US grocer built 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.
Data transformation is not a one-time project—it’s an ongoing journey. Intelligence-driven CP firms embrace agile ways of working, cross-functional collaboration, and a test-and-learn mindset. They invest in talent and technology, but also in change management to ensure adoption across the organization. One global CP leader, for example, launched a digital-first model with 40+ agile squads, resulting in a 300% increase in website launch capability and a 200% increase in time-to-market innovation.
Becoming an intelligence-driven organization is a journey that requires vision, commitment, and the right partners. By uniting data, scaling analytics, and embedding intelligence into every aspect of the business, CP firms can unlock new sources of value, deepen consumer relationships, and operate with greater agility and efficiency.
At Publicis Sapient, we help consumer products companies at every stage of this journey—from foundational data strategy to advanced AI-driven transformation. Ready to move beyond the product launch and build an intelligence-driven organization? Let’s start the conversation.