"Persona" Transforms Marketing: The Future Envisioned by dentsu persona hub 2.0

Personas targeting is gaining popularity as a method to enhance targeting precision in ad delivery and marketing initiatives.

Persona targeting is a method that uses various data sets, independent of cookies or personal information, to pre-analyze the interests and preferences of the target audience, create unique personas, and deliver ads to the optimal delivery surfaces.

In October 2024, Dentsu Inc. and Ogury Japan launched " dentsu persona hub " (DPH), a service that incorporates unique persona analysis into media targeting ( details here ). DPH is gaining attention for its ability to enhance target resolution and achieve optimal digital ad delivery by combining Dentsu Group's diverse consumer survey data with Ogury's vast data points.

In this article, Ryo Aoki of Dentsu Digital Inc. explains the evolved DPH version 2.0, featuring case studies from implementing companies, and delves into new possibilities for digital advertising.

For more details on "Persona Targeting," please refer to this article.

What is dentsu persona hub? Version 2.0 opens up a new frontier in integrated marketing

DPH, which enables highly accurate targeting, approaches to potential customers, and efficient ad delivery to maximize advertising effectiveness, has evolved to version 2.0, significantly expanding its value proposition. While the previous DPH was limited to Ogury's Ad Network (*1), DPH 2.0 has transformed into a comprehensive solution supporting clients' entire marketing activities. Here, we explain the appeal of the evolved DPH 2.0 through three key points.

※1 = A platform that connects companies wishing to deliver ads with media outlets wishing to display ads.

(1) Dramatic Expansion of Delivery Channels

A standout feature of DPH 2.0 is its dramatically expanded distribution channels. Beyond the open web, where Ogury has traditionally excelled, partnerships with vendors like SQREEM and FreakOut now enable DPH 2.0 to deliver ads based on persona analysis across diverse channels. This includes major platforms like large video platforms and SNS (walled gardens), as well as CTV (Connected TV).

※2 = A system where advertising and data exchanges are confined within the platform itself.

(2) Evolution of Persona Analysis

Through collaboration between Dentsu Digital Inc. and Ogury Japan, integration with the interactive AI solution " ∞AI Chat " has been achieved. This enables AI-driven persona recommendations and matching powered by a dedicated AI trained on Ogury's persona marketing knowledge and Dentsu Inc.'s consumer survey data.This allows for faster and more accurate delivery of customized persona analysis, which was previously done manually by analysts and planners.

(3) Comprehensive Support Beyond Ad Delivery

DPH2.0 is not merely an ad delivery service. By providing consistent support from upstream to downstream marketing—including persona workshops, consulting, and even AI-powered creative production—it comprehensively supports clients' business growth.

It also enables reaching previously hard-to-reach potential targets!

DPH 2.0 is being adopted across diverse industries, including technology, luxury brands, and consumer goods manufacturers. Here, we highlight Bacardi Japan as a company that best embodies its value. We spoke with Ryutaro Okumura, Marketing Manager at Bacardi Japan, and Azusa Sudo from Dentsu Japan International Brands Inc., who supported the solution implementation.

Aoki: Why did you choose DPH2.0 in the first place?

Okumura: In past campaigns, our main approach was targeting using media preset segments like "alcohol lovers" or "music lovers," themed around music festivals and the club scene. While this ensured reach, it was difficult to see which specific groups were actually being reached, and we felt the advertising effectiveness had limits. We were drawn to DPH 2.0's potential to reach potential audiences that traditional methods couldn't fully capture, which led to our decision to implement it.

Sudo: For us, solving the client's challenge required capturing a more precise target profile. DPH 2.0 enables designing higher-resolution personas by combining not only traditional demographic information but also the vast data held by Dentsu Inc. and Ogury. We believed this analytical capability was the key to discovering hidden potential audiences and solving Bacardi's challenge.

Aoki: How did you utilize DPH2.0?

Sudo: We started with the concept word "EXUBERANT (not quite party people)" provided by Bacardi. We then combined purchase data and behavioral insights to dig deeper. This revealed a specific segment previously overlooked by conventional targeting: "young people who enjoy both music and alcohol but have unique preferences in self-expression and how they play (*3)."Next, based on this persona, we implemented unified targeting across major platforms including Ogury, major video platforms, and SNS. While optimizing creatives and messaging according to each platform's characteristics, we consistently targeted them without deviating from the "EXUBERANT" axis, achieving unified reach—a significant achievement.

※3=Both this campaign and this persona design are based on adult consumers aged 20 and above.

Aoki: How were the actual results?

Sudo: We conducted an A/B test comparing standard delivery targeting media demographics like "alcohol lovers" or "music lovers" with DPH2.0 delivery. The results showed superior performance as follows:

Okumura: Reproducing results across multiple media channels represents significant progress. Implementing DPH 2.0 proved our ability to effectively reach previously hard-to-reach potential targets.

Sudo: Visualizing which target groups responded to the message enabled us to exceed media KPIs. This wasn't just a change in targeting methods; by collaborating with clients on persona-based target design and media selection, we expanded our proposal scope and enhanced client satisfaction.

Future Outlook for DPH2.0

The evolution of DPH 2.0 doesn't stop here. We plan to further strengthen integration with Ogury's proprietary tool " Ogury One " and Dentsu Digital Inc.'s " ∞AI " series. Seamless collaboration with these AI solutions will enable high-speed PDCA cycles from planning to execution and effectiveness verification, simultaneously streamlining and elevating clients' marketing operations.

Furthermore, plans are underway to expand the DPH2.0 model developed for the Japanese market to other regions, including dentsu APAC, and we will continue to strengthen our collaboration with dentsu.