Creating a Better Future Through Appropriate Data Utilization (Part 1) | Data Analyst Roundtable vol.2

Digital marketing is undergoing major transformation, driven by factors like increasing data volumes and revisions to personal information protection laws. Amidst this, the "data cleanroom" is gaining attention as a data infrastructure that balances individual privacy protection with corporate marketing needs. The role of the "data analyst" is one of the key functions driving data & digital marketing utilizing this data cleanroom and various other data platforms.

The importance of this data analyst role continues to grow. To convey the reality of this now-highly-sought-after profession, Transformation SHOWCASE held a three-part roundtable discussion featuring data analysts active within the Dentsu Group. This article is the second installment. ( Part 1 is here )

For the second installment of the "Data Analyst Roundtable," we gathered four individuals: Kano Kurebayashi, Erina Tanaka, and Rongrong Ma from Dentsu Inc., and Asumi Nagai from Dentsu Digital Inc. They shared the appeal and excitement of this profession. In the first part, we heard about their past work and career paths.

Kano Kurebayashi: Joined Dentsu Inc. in 2018 through career recruitment. Promotes the development and utilization of data solutions, including data clean rooms, at the Data & Technology Center (DTC).

Tanaka Erina: Joined Dentsu Inc. in 2021. Assigned to DTC as a new graduate, she has been involved in developing solutions utilizing SNS-based data clean rooms and smart home appliance data.

Ma Yongyong: Joined Dentsu Inc. in 2017. Transferred to Dentsu Digital Inc. upon initial assignment. Primarily handled consulting for performance advertising. In recent years, engaged in CRM support through LINE utilization in the CRM domain and solution development using data clean rooms. Returned to Dentsu Inc. in April 2023.

Asumi Nagai: Joined Dentsu Digital Inc. in 2022. Engaged in formulating integrated marketing strategies utilizing multiple data clean rooms.

Working with clients to develop data-driven marketing strategies

Q. Were you originally aiming to become data analysts? Please tell us about your student background and the roles you aspired to.

Kurebayashi: I joined a media rep focused on digital advertising and was assigned to a department handling solutions like site access tools. Since then, I've worked in the data solutions field. Even after joining Dentsu Inc., I continued in the digital advertising space, using effectiveness measurement tools and data solutions to conduct various effectiveness verification analyses.

Nagai: During my undergraduate and graduate studies, I specialized in mathematical modeling and interned in data analysis at a venture company operating an e-commerce site. As a graduate student, I job-hunted aiming to become a data analyst, but opportunities were scarce and highly competitive at the time. Amidst this, I had the chance to speak with someone from Dentsu Digital Inc. at a job-hunting event by Supporterz, Inc., which specializes in engineers and IT talent. After hearing about the role, I felt it perfectly matched what I wanted to do and the environment that would welcome me, leading to my joining the company.

Ma: During my undergraduate studies, I majored in marketing. In my seminar, we sometimes received challenges from companies, such as "We want to increase sales for this product," and we would brainstorm solutions. So, when I joined the company, I wanted to work in roles close to clients, like sales or strategic planning.

However, my first assignment was an immediate secondment to Dentsu Digital Inc. I had absolutely no digital knowledge; when I first joined, I was at the level of practicing keyboard input with typing games. I thought, "This is going to be tough."Fortunately, my team was fantastic. My trainer and general manager provided intensive daily guidance. They taught me not only the fundamentals of digital marketing and business skills but also frequently asked me during daily work, "Is this something you could proudly tell your parents about?" This taught me a lot about the mindset and approach to work. The lessons from that time have become my motto for working.

Tanaka: I also studied law in university, a field almost entirely unrelated to digital. However, even while in school, I wanted to develop services. As a hobby, I used no-code services to build websites and apps. Through that experience, I realized I needed to acquire more digital and technological skills to pursue service development. That said, I was unsure if I could handle being a systems engineer, so I applied to IT consulting firms during my job search. Among them, Dentsu Inc. stood out because its work scope seemed broad and offered many options.

Handling everything from data analysis to solution design

Q. Some might think pursuing a data analyst career path would be more naturally suited to working at an IT company. Given that, what attracts you to working within the Dentsu Group now?

Kurebayashi: The appeal is definitely the opportunity to challenge myself across various fields. Our clients span diverse industries, and I feel incredibly fortunate to work in an environment where I can handle such a wide range of data.

Nagai: Many of my peers who aimed to become data analysts during our student days took research positions after completing graduate school. While I certainly found the research path intriguing, I wanted work more aligned with business. I think this environment suits people with that kind of motivation.

Tanaka: After joining the company, I learned everything from scratch and became proficient in basic SQL (a programming language for managing and manipulating databases) and data statistics. Beyond just data analysis, I find it appealing that we can directly hear about challenges from clients and design solutions ourselves.

Uma: I originally aimed for marketing and was unfamiliar with digital, but now I find this work fascinating. During my assignment at Dentsu Digital Inc., I worked on developing data-driven solutions and solving client challenges through them. That's when I realized data can help solve problems not just in advertising, but across broad areas like commerce and CRM (Customer Relationship Management). Data can be leveraged across various domains, and we can support clients starting from data.I find great fulfillment in standing between engineers, analysts, and clients, collaborating to build valuable solutions together.

Even among those now active as data analysts, their backgrounds are diverse. Some received specialized data science education during their student years, while others, despite coming from liberal arts backgrounds, connect data with business and apply it to their current work. Their areas of expertise also span a wide range. In the latter part, we ask about memorable projects they've handled and areas they wish to challenge in the future.