MarTech360 Interview With Daniel Godoy, Global Programmatic Evangelist at Microsoft Advertising

“By using first-party data, marketers can unlock many personalization opportunities, such as tailoring their offers based on customer´s previous browsing or purchasing behaviour.”

Daniel, can you tell us about your professional background and your current role at Microsoft.

I graduated with a master in publicity from Pontificia Universidad de Comillas (Madrid) in 2006 and since then I have been working in digital marketing and media strategy for different industries. My professional background started at L’Oreal Spain, where I was the first digital profile in the Luxe Division. I designed and executed a project that drove traffic from digital to point of sale, increasing sales and brand awareness. I spent more than five years at L’Oreal, learning from the beauty industry and its challenges.

Then I joined PepsiCo, where I gained broad experience in CPG and media strategy for SWE markets. I was responsible for the online and offline media for the whole portfolio of beverages, snacks and nutrition brands. I led several media disruptor projects that made an impact in the market, such as converting our Twitter account into a Pepsi vending machine, responding to a Coke billboard with a witty counterattack, and scaling up our programmatic scope based on positive measurement results.

After 10 years in PepsiCo, I decided to pursue a new challenge that I had always wanted: moving to the tech industry. I got an opportunity to work at Google DV360 as a sales media manager for SWE, where I supported different clients from various industries such as CPG, Pharma or Retail. In many ways, this role was akin to a master class in programmatic advertising.

After that year, Microsoft offered me a very interesting role: global programmatic evangelist. This role allows me to share my passion for ad-tech and represent Microsoft Advertising at industry media events. I have been enjoying this great adventure for almost a year now, where I have been enhancing my programmatic skills and exploring the innovative advertising solutions that Microsoft offers.

What sets Microsoft Advertising apart from other companies in the advertising industry?

Microsoft has the benefits of having an innovative search engine, social platform, news distributor, browser, leading retail media platform, CTV capabilities, demand-side platform, sell-side platform, and gaming platform – all under one umbrella. With this diverse, innovative and trusted portfolio of media solutions, Microsoft offers unparalleled opportunities for advertisers, publishers, and consumers to connect and engage in meaningful ways across the open web.

How did you develop your expertise in both online and offline media, and how do you see the two mediums evolving in the future?

I always had passion for online and offline media and how it can transform brands. For over 15 years, I have been at the forefront of digital innovation, leading more than 1000 brand campaigns across the full marketing funnel. This has allowed me to master the digital landscape and make brands like Pepsi stand out on social media, reaching the number one spot on Social Bakers followers ranking in 2013, when followers mattered the most.

We’re living in a time when online and offline ecosystems are dually important. Business and marketing goals can only be met with a balance of the two coupled with a clear definition of the target audience. In the world of today, what has changed is a more balanced approach towards online/offline media planning. And that is already a huge step forward.

Programmatic advertising has been a buzzword in the marketing industry for quite some time- How does programmatic advertising differ from traditional display marketing, and what are its key features and benefits?

Programmatic advertising includes any ad that is transacted or fulfilled via automation.

Thanks to automation, we can create more engaging and personalized ads, as well as control budgets with flexible options and real-time bidding parameters with proven ROI. And on top of that, we can save time and resources by using programmatic advertising to automate and streamline the ad buying process.

What are some of the critical trade-offs that marketers need to make when trying to engage their audiences and drive revenue?

Marketers face a changing media landscape in a time of economic uncertainty that requires them to adapt their strategies to engage their audiences, drive revenue, and do more with less.

It’s important to centralize efforts and investments, rather than opt for a non-consolidated media approach. Advertisers can access premium content, extend campaigns seamlessly and measure performance effectively through programmatic advertising.

How have emerging channels like retail media and CTV impacted the advertising industry?

A report from eMarketer in 2022 suggests that CTV is the fastest growing media channel followed by retail media.  And this should not surprise us, both channels have disrupted the industry in different ways.

CTV has attracted, engaged, and retained large audiences around the world. For example, in the US, CTV audiences have surpassed linear TV audiences, which shows its impressive growth. Retail media, on the other hand, has leveraged the power of e-commerce platforms to offer targeted and personalized advertising to online shoppers. Microsoft PromoteIQ is a good example of a solution that increases campaign scale and reaches more in-market shoppers through onsite and offsite traffic.

What are the current trends and challenges in programmatic advertising, and how are they impacting the advertising industry?

We still have important challenges in the adtech industry.

One of the major challenges for marketers in 2023 is cookie deprecation, which requires them to shift their data strategy towards first-party data. By using first-party data, marketers can unlock many personalization opportunities, such as tailoring their offers based on customer´s previous browsing or purchasing behaviour. First-party data will also help brands to build loyalty and retention, by making their customers feel heard and valued.

Winning relevance in a media landscape that is constantly changing is another challenge. Innovation is key, and we need to experiment and learn from our results. We need to find the best channels and formats to achieve our goals. For example, search is a channel that is receiving a lot of attention, thanks to generative AI innovations, like those that we’re seeing in the new Bing. The new Bing offers a new search experience powered by AI, a chat that lets us communicate in natural language, that provides answers instead of just links, and sparks more creativity.

What advice would you give to other Media Expert which helped you personally?

Media is facing a significant transformation; we need to convert these changes into opportunities and develop media strategies that are innovative and distinctive, enhancing the reputation of our brands. We can accomplish this by understanding the needs and preferences of our audiences, utilizing the power of data and technology, and delivering engaging and relevant content across multiple platforms and channels.

What is the biggest problem you or your team solving this year?

We are committed to providing the best advertising offer based on first party data. This is where Microsoft excels and we will continue to shape this model to make it more robust, secure, and scalable. We are shaping the future of advertising.

Is there anything that you’re currently reading, or any favorite books, that you’d Recommend?

In my free time, I am reading How the world really works, by Vaclav Smil.

The book questions how the world works and what science can do, especially with the role of innovation, the limits of growth, the impact of climate change, and the prospects of renewable energy, I find it super interesting as we are now living through so many changes, questioning and having a different perspective help me to be more conscious and respectful of our world.