This article was based on the interview with Tejas Manohar, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Hightouch by Greg Kihlström, AI and MarTech keynote speaker for The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström podcast. Listen to the original episode here:
The marketing technology landscape is in constant flux, a swirling vortex of new platforms, evolving strategies, and the ever-present buzz of AI. For enterprise marketing leaders, navigating this landscape requires not just speed, but agility—the ability to adapt, pivot, and personalize at scale.
One of the most significant shifts in recent years has been the rise of the composable Customer Data Platform (CDP), a more flexible and adaptable approach to managing customer data. Coupled with the advancements in AI, composable CDPs are empowering marketers to unlock new levels of personalization and customer lifetime value. This article explores the key advantages of composable CDPs and how AI is transforming marketing decision-making, drawing on insights from a conversation with Tejas Manohar, Co-CEO and co-founder of Hightouch, a leading provider of composable CDP and AI decisioning solutions.
Gone are the days of clunky, monolithic data warehouses and painstakingly slow data migration projects. Composable CDPs offer a refreshing alternative, allowing marketers to tap directly into existing data sources without the need for complex integrations. This streamlined approach not only accelerates time-to-value but also empowers marketers with richer, more nuanced customer insights. Paired with AI-powered decisioning, composable CDPs offer the potential to revolutionize how brands connect with their customers, moving beyond broad segmentation to truly personalized experiences.
Key Takeaways:
1. Data Agility is Paramount
Traditional CDPs often require extensive data migration, creating bottlenecks and limiting access to real-time insights. Composable CDPs address this challenge by integrating directly with existing data sources. As Manohar explains, “A composable CDP means that we can just tap directly into all those technologies, get the data from all those places, and help you as a marketer start using it way faster and with way more data than you’d have in the traditional CDP route.” This agility enables marketers to respond quickly to changing market conditions and personalize campaigns with up-to-the-minute information.
2. Beyond Users and Events
Traditional CDPs typically focus on user demographics and event data. Composable CDPs, on the other hand, offer a more flexible schema, allowing marketers to incorporate a wider range of data points. This is particularly valuable for industries with complex customer relationships. “We really get access to a much more vast amount of data, which is important in many different industries and most large, complicated companies,” notes Manohar, citing examples like PetSmart, where marketers can personalize campaigns based on pet breeds, household information, and other unique data points.
3. AI-Powered Decisioning: From Hypothesis to Hyper-Personalization
Even with a robust CDP, determining the right message for each customer can be a complex undertaking. AI decisioning tools are changing the game by automating this process. As Manohar describes, “We’re basically using AI and automated experimentation to answer that question of what is the best content to send to each and every customer on a one-to-one basis.” By setting clear goals and providing content options, marketers can leverage AI to optimize campaigns and deliver personalized experiences that resonate.
4. The Marketer’s Evolving Role
With AI taking on more tactical tasks, marketers are freed to focus on strategy and customer understanding. “I think it’s a really exciting time to be a marketer,” says Manohar. “It changes the workflow to be less about the technical tactics oftentimes and more about what brought us to the industry in the first place, which is marketing strategy and really understanding our customers.” This shift empowers marketers to become true customer champions, leveraging data and AI to create meaningful connections.
The convergence of composable CDPs and AI is not just a technological advancement; it’s a paradigm shift in how brands engage with their customers. By embracing these technologies, marketing leaders can unlock new levels of agility, personalization, and ultimately, customer lifetime value. It’s not about replacing human intuition with algorithms; it’s about empowering marketers with the tools they need to create more relevant, more resonant, and more valuable customer experiences. As Manohar suggests, these advancements change the very definition of marketing by lessening the time and energy spent on tactical deployments and freeing up marketing leadership to concentrate on overall strategy and customer experience.
