Arun Kumar is an accomplished global data and marketing leader with a proven track record of setting strategies and developing products that stimulate business growth while reducing costs. He’s an accomplished public speaker, an advisory board member, and the author of The Data Deluge: Making Marketing Work Better for Brands and People.

On this episode of On Scope, the Global Head of Data and AI at Accenture Song joins the show to discuss how marketers can reclaim their data and digital destiny and take back marketing. Along with host Mike Berberich, the conversation begins by an examining an emerging marketing conundrum: Why the industry has ceded virtually all control of its channels to tech giants. From there, the duo discusses how the industry found itself in this unfortunate position and how it might work its way out, why an ongoing lack of coordination between customer service and marketing departments leaves consumers with less-than-ideal brand experiences, and why marketers need to rethink their approach to leveraging data and aim to find a happy medium between broadcast messaging and hyper personalization efforts that often leave consumers feeling — well — a bit creeped out.

On “News You Might Have Missed,” Mike and show producer Ryan Dinger discuss an article from Fast Company on the “zombie internet” and a new social media platform developed exclusively for agentic AI bots. They explain why they’re incredulous at the idea that a social media platform built exclusively for chatbots would have any long-term appeal for humans and speculate about the consequences such a thing would have on the advertising ecosystem.

Speaking of the zombie internet, it sure is a confusing time for marketers trying to wrap their head around emerging technology, especially when evaluating what is worth their time and what isn’t. You can cut through the noise and better understand where your time and money is best spent with tools from the ANA’s Technology Practice. Check out the practical frameworks, real-world case studies, and peer guidance available to help you make smarter tech choices by visiting www.ana.net/technology.

The On Scope team would love to hear from you! If you have a topic or guest idea, you can email them at onscope@ana.net.