Experts in the digital and integrated marketing space have called on professionals to embrace data-driven strategies to enhance customer experience and drive sales.
They made the call at the 2025 Africa Marketing Technology & E-commerce Conference, held recently in Lagos, with the theme “Marketing in the New Economy Data-Driven Success in Challenging Times.”
Feyi Olubodun, Managing Director and CEO of Open Square Limited, cautioned that ignoring data in marketing is like “shooting in the dark.”
Data is crucial in marketing; without it, efforts are like shooting in the dark,” Olubodun stated while discussing ‘Driving Growth: How Your Brand Can Create a Great Customer Experience.’ “It helps to understand consumer preferences and guides marketing activities that ultimately focus on satisfying customers.
Supporting this view, Emmanuel Adediran, Business Unit Director at MediaReach OMD, called data the cornerstone of modern marketing success. He said, “To create a successful campaign, you must first analyze your data. It reveals where consumers are and what they need. Therefore, marketers need sufficient data to perform effectively.”
On the importance of technology in today’s marketing, Lanre Basamta, CEO of Optimus AI Labs, encouraged marketers to adopt artificial intelligence.
We cannot avoid it. While human insight remains essential, applying AI will enable marketers to create successful campaigns and drive sales more effectively,” Basamta said.
He added, “Marketing has evolved to a point where neglecting AI in your strategies puts you at a disadvantage. The industry is still growing, and government support is needed to establish some of the capital-intensive infrastructures.”
Olubodun also encouraged brand managers to focus on research-driven insights rather than relying solely on popular trends or social observations.
Brand managers need to focus on insights supported by research instead of relying on social observations, which cause many brands to sound alike in their messaging,” he warned. He added that although these approaches might work temporarily, they do not build lasting brand identity or customer loyalty.
Victor Ojeakhena, co-founder and CEO of Marketing Analytics Africa and convener of the AMTEC conference, described the event as a gathering place for Africa’s leading marketing experts.
