Dentsu has struck a strategic partnership with Evidenza to integrate synthetic audiences into its media planning processes. This collaboration aims to develop a Next Gen planning capability tailored for what is being termed the ‘Algorithmic Era’.

The partnership will see Evidenza’s synthetic research platform combined with dentsu.Audiences, which includes Dentsu’s proprietary CCS panel data set. Synthetic audiences are AI-generated digital profiles designed to mirror real-world audience behaviours and preferences. This approach is intended to offer a “fast, cost-effective, and flexible alternative” to traditional audience research methods.

The integration of synthetic audiences is expected to enhance the depth, speed, and agility of media planning and activation. Early results from the partnership indicate a 0.87 correlation with traditional research methods, suggesting a close alignment with established approaches.

“This partnership marks a pivotal step in transforming how brands move from insight to activation,” Shirli Zelcer, Chief Data & Technology Officer at Dentsu, stated.

“The innovation of combining Evidenza’s AI-powered synthetic audiences with dentsu.Audiences delivers greater precision, speed, and agility in planning and activation. Early results show an 0.87 correlation with traditional research-proving we can match the rigor of legacy methods while accelerating time to value and unlocking new growth opportunities.”

Will Swayne, Global Practice President – Media and Integrated Solutions at Dentsu, said its ecosystem of industry data and technology partners is critical in helping deliver accelerated growth for clients.

“Where others are putting up walls, dentsu is building bridges with best-of-breed innovators like Evidenza, giving our clients the edge they need in the Algorithmic Era. The integration of synthetic audiences into our strategic planning workflows is only possible because of dentsu’s mindset, underpinned by a cross-practice culture of experimentation.”

The partnership is also expected to create a consistent, data-driven outlook across media and creative workflows, with particular benefits anticipated for B2B and luxury brands. Evidenza’s platform allows for rapid customer insight generation, potentially replacing traditional focus groups and surveys. Fortune 1000 brands currently utilise Evidenza’s platform for testing targeting, positioning, and messaging.

“This partnership represents a significant advancement in marketing planning across all categories, with particular benefits for B2B and luxury brands,” Peter Weinburg, co-founder of Evidenza, said.

“By combining dentsu’s media scale and data with Evidenza’s synthetic research technology, we’re able to dramatically reduce the time from insight generation to campaign activation. This enables B2B marketers to achieve the speed and agility typically associated with consumer marketing while maintaining strategic rigour.”