#557: AI and First-Party Data in Print with Stefanie Cortes, RRD

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®

Episode #557: AI and First-Party Data in Print with Stefanie Cortes, RRD

Date: August 2, 2024
Guest: Stefanie Cortez, Director of Strategic Analysis, Direct Marketing Division at RRD
Host: Greg Kihlström

---

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode explores the evolving role of print marketing within modern, data-driven omnichannel strategies, focusing on the intersection of AI, first-party data, and integrated customer experiences. Stefanie Cortez shares RRD's latest Print Impact Report insights, discussing how brands are leveraging personalized print, integrating digital and print, and the growing influence of AI in both operations and content personalization. The conversation offers actionable guidance on combining channels, maximizing first-party data, and responding to digital fatigue for better ROI and customer connection.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Stefanie’s Role & RRD’s Print Impact Report

• Stefanie’s Background (02:40): Over 15 years at RRD, now serving as Director of Strategic Analysis. Focuses on thought leadership, industry analysis, and new business growth through project management and competitive trend monitoring.
• Purpose of the Print Impact Report (03:26):
  • Annual industry report, now in its fourth year.
  • Surveys clients across print, supply chain, marketing, packaging, and labels.
  • Aims to keep a data-driven pulse on industry trends for better client solutions.

  "We've been conducting these surveys for about four years now... these surveys provide us with really, really strong insight and really help us maintain a pulse on the industry in a very data driven way."
  — Stefanie Cortez (03:26)

---

The Resurgence of Personalized Print

• Personalized Print Gaining Momentum (04:41):

  • Trend Drivers:
    • Oversaturation of digital channels.
    • Google’s move away from third-party cookies.
    • Marketers seeking alternative, impactful channels.
  • Finding: Over two-thirds of organizations are now personalizing print communications.

  "Print... is becoming more of a trendy channel to incorporate into the more digital first strategies we're finding."
  — Stefanie Cortez (04:41)

• Combining Print and Digital (05:17):

  • Overcoming the “print vs. digital” mindset.
  • Print remains relevant by embracing technology (e.g., QR codes, triggered messaging, AI, web-to-print).
  • Integration is key—technology bridges print and digital.

  "What's truly keeping print relevant is the technology."
  — Stefanie Cortez (05:36)

---

First-Party Data and Data Privacy in Print Marketing

• Importance of First-Party Data (06:48):

  • Marketers are adapting creative approaches for each channel (print, email, social).
  • Selecting print vendors with strong creative and strategic expertise is crucial.

• Primary Data Sources (08:24):

  • Consumer feedback, purchase history, demographics.
  • Additional sources: surveys, loyalty programs, any direct or historical interaction data.

  "Any kind of direct interaction or historical data that you have from a one to one interaction with that consumer is really, really becoming the holy grail of marketing right now."
  — Stefanie Cortez (08:24)

---

AI’s Increasing Role in Print

• AI Adoption in Print (09:22):

  • 32% of marketers currently using AI in print, another 31% planning to adopt.
  • Use cases: predictive analytics, supply chain (e.g., forecasting ink and paper demand), and streamlining operations.

  "Marketers who use print heavily... are using AI for predictive analytics and to streamline operations."
  — Stefanie Cortez (09:57)

• AI for Content Creation and Insights (10:38):

  • AI helps turn large data sets into actionable consumer insights—improving timeliness, relevance, and campaign targeting.
  • Similar advantages to digital, adapted for print channel specificity.

  "Marketers... tend to be leveraging AI mostly for consumer insights..."
  — Stefanie Cortez (10:38)

---

Combating Digital Fatigue with Print

• Digital Fatigue Is Real (11:52):

  • 94% of marketers use print to tackle digital fatigue.
  • Strategies center on direct mail as a proactive, highly targeted acquisition tool.
  • Supporting tactics:
    • Coordinated digital touches around print campaigns.
    • QR codes, personalized URLs, direct mail retargeting.

  "Tactics typically include digital being surrounding the mail event with coordinated digital touches that support a campaign theme..."
  — Stefanie Cortez (11:52)

• Effectiveness of Personalization (12:35):

  • Print is perceived as more trusted, personal, and distinctive.
  • Omnichannel approaches (print + digital) yield higher returns vs. solo channel campaigns.

  "Coordinated multi or omnichannel campaigns will always almost prove to generate higher return."
  — Stefanie Cortez (12:55)

---

Future Trends in Print Marketing

• Top Trends Looking Ahead: (13:54)

  • Shift from lowest cost-per-piece to prioritizing value and performance.
  • More sophisticated use of customer data for campaign personalization.
  • Greater adoption of marketing automation for omnichannel delivery and campaign measurement.
  • Digitally native brands experimenting with print due to its proven results.

  "There's more of a focus on the customer and their needs… becoming way more customer centric versus what's the marketer's promotional agenda."
  — Stefanie Cortez (14:41)

• Value vs. Cost-per-Piece Explained (14:31):

  • Previously, success was measured by mass volume and cheapest delivery.
  • Now, targeting and delivering valuable, high-performing experiences is the focus, using data to enhance customer centricity.

---

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On Print’s Modern Relevance:

  "Print is trusted, impactful, personal and distinctive and unique."
  — Stefanie Cortez (12:55)

• On Embracing Technology for Print:

  "The main thing about effectively combining print and digital is just to embrace the technology… what's truly keeping print relevant is the technology."
  — Stefanie Cortez (05:36)

• On Data-Driven Personalization:

  "Direct mail retargeting... has been gaining huge popularity as like a very successful marketing tactic to move customers through the funnel."
  — Stefanie Cortez (11:52)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:40 – Stefanie’s Role at RRD
• 03:26 – Background on the Print Impact Report
• 04:41 – Drivers of Personalized Print Resurgence
• 05:36 – Integrating Print and Digital, Key Technologies
• 06:48 – First-Party Data’s Role in Print Marketing
• 08:24 – Data Sources & Vendor Partnerships
• 09:22 – AI in Print: Adoption, Use Cases
• 10:38 – AI for Insights & Content Creation
• 11:52 – Using Print to Combat Digital Fatigue
• 12:35 – Measuring Effectiveness of Personalization
• 13:54 – Future Trends: Value Over Cost, Customer Centricity
• 14:41 – The Shift to Performance and Data-Driven Targeting

---

Tone and Takeaways

The conversation maintains an optimistic, practical tone—balancing data-driven optimism with real-world marketing challenges. Stefanie Cortez offers experienced perspective and actionable insights for navigating change, particularly for marketers looking to harness the full potential of omnichannel strategies by integrating print intelligently with digital, AI, and first-party data.

For listeners interested in:

• Modernizing print in a digital world
• Maximizing first-party data in omnichannel marketing
• Leveraging AI beyond digital, into print and operations
• Combating digital fatigue to stand out and connect authentically

The episode delivers both big-picture perspective and tactical next steps for evolving marketing programs in the era of privacy, tech advancement, and ever-rising customer expectations.

Transcript

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

And Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird.

[Stephanie Cortez]

What is this, your first date?

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

Oh, no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.

[Stephanie Cortez]

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

Anyways, get a [e-mail] or with your local agent.

[Stephanie Cortez]

Liberty Liberty. Liberty Liberty.

[VRBO Announcer]

VRBO makes it easy to claim your dream summer spot with early booking deals from homes with pools to poolside loungers. When you book a vrbo, you don't have to reserve any loungers. They're all yours. All you have to do is book early book with vrbo.

[The Agile Brand Announcer]

The Agile Brand

[Greg Kilstrom]

Foreign

welcome to Season six of the Agile Brand where we discuss marketing, technology and customer experience, trends, insights and ideas with enterprise and technology platform leaders. We focus on the people, processes, data and platforms that make brands successful, scalable, customer focused and sustainable. This is what makes an agile brand. I'm your host, Greg Kilstrom, advising Fortune 1000 brands on martech, marketing operations and CX, best selling author and speaker. The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by Tech Systems, an industry leader in full stack technology services, talent services and real world application. For more information, go to teksystems.com before we get started, I wanted to let you know that my latest book, Priority is seven Principles for Better Strategies, Decisions and Outcomes is now available. In it, I give ideas and insights for leaders and teams that need to make meaningful progress on their priorities. After all, our priorities are what we do, not what we say we'd like to do. You can find Priority as Action on Amazon or learn more on my website greggkilstrom.com now let's get on to the show. In a world seemingly dominated by digital

media, at least according to digital media

practitioners, print marketing continues to carve out

a significant and evolving role, particularly in

how it integrates with digital strategies to

create compelling customer experiences.

Today we're joined by Stephanie Cortez, director of Strategic analysis for the Direct marketing

division at RRD, who will share insights from RRD's latest print impact report.

Stephanie, welcome to the show.

[Stephanie Cortez]

Thanks so much, Greg.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Yeah, looking forward to talking about this with you. Why don't we get started with you giving us a little background on your role at RRD?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Absolutely. So I've been with RID for a little over 15 years now. In my current role I'm the director of Strategic analysis with the Direct Marketing division. In that role, I work alongside the president of our division and the other sales leaders. You know, we're really focused on strategic thought leadership, analyzing the industry and competitive trends. And I also provide a lot of oversight to project management and, you know, that'll help us identify and grow new business opportunities.

[Greg Kilstrom]

The RRD Print Impact Report, later in the show definitely dive into a few aspects of that. But as an introduction, could you give us a little background on what is the report and a little more background there?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Sure. So the Print Impact Report is our latest annual printing industry report. The goal there is to understand the landscape of the industries our clients work in and to ensure bringing them the best possible solutions. We've been conducting these surveys for about four years now across all of our business lines, which include print supply chain marketing, packaging and labels as well. We've been really finding that these surveys provide us with really, really strong insight and really help us maintain a pulse on the industry in a very data driven way.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Great, great. So let's dive into the first of a few topics we're going to be talking through. And this first is the resurgence of personalized print. So digital gets a lot of talk about personalization and marketing. But as digital environments become increasingly saturated, personalized print communications are gaining more attention for their ability to connect deeply with their audiences. So one of the things the Print Impact Report highlights is that over 2/3 of organizations are personalizing their print communications. What trends are driving this resurgence in personalized print marketing?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Yeah, I think as you just mentioned, I mean it's really the oversaturation of the digital climate right now. And also with Google moving away from third party cookies, this is definitely motivating marketers to seek other methods of marketing channels. And print being the predominant one that we're seeing right now, especially as it relates to direct marketing. It's really just, even though it's probably one of the oldest techniques in direct marketing, it's becoming more of a trendy channel to incorporate into the more digital first strategies we're finding.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Yeah, yeah. And so given that marketers are working more in a multi channel or omnichannel world and consumers certainly are living in that world, how are marketers effectively combining print with digital elements to enhance the personalization of those communications?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Yeah, a good question. So I think there was a time and we're still kind of seeing it right now. We were just recently at an industry event where we're still surprisingly seeing some people pushing back a little Bit and kind of seeing the print competing with the digital. But the main thing about effectively combining print and digital is just to embrace the technology and utilize the tactics that we have now to incorporate and bridge that gap between print and digital. So anything from QR codes, flow codes, automated trigger, messaging, web to print, obviously artificial intelligence is the huge one right now. So I think it's really just about embracing the new technology. And I think just from my experience, I've kind of always been focused on this digital print integration since the beginning of my career. The main thing is just really embracing it because what's truly keeping print relevant is the technology. So without that, I don't think that print would be in such a beneficial and positive performance space that it is now, should it not be for the digital channels that we're working with?

[Greg Kilstrom]

Yeah. So another trend that marketers are talking about more and more is the concept of using more first party data, first party data strategies. So I want to talk about that as in terms of print marketing as well. So with everything from shifting data regulations and just more consumer awareness of data privacy, first party data has definitely again become a lot more top of mind for all marketers. Can you discuss how organizations are prioritizing the acquisition and utilization of first party data for personalized print marketing?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Sure. So you know, as you mentioned, it's, you know, as the digital environment becomes more and more crowded, I think that we're using it the same way. I believe in the print applications, it's just, you know, what works sometimes in one channel doesn't necessarily work in another. So it's really, how do I take this really, really rich data that, you know, has to do with the individual and understand the creative applications that work best for the direct mail channel versus, you know, an email or a social product because there different nuances that you have to use from a creative aspect. So I believe from looking for a vendor to work with a print provider, it's very beneficial to find someone that really understands that creative strategy and what works best for certain channels.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Yeah, yeah. And so what are the primary sources of this data and how are marketers working with print vendors to harness this information effectively?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Yeah, I mean it's really all about just these direct interactions. From the print impact report, we found I think the top three ways that marketers are using first party data most effectively and they're harnessing it from consumer feedback, buyer history as well as consumer demographics. But you know, I mean there's a ton of others. So surveys, loyalty programs, you name it. So any Kind of direct interaction or historical data that you have from a one to one interaction with that consumer is really, really becoming the holy grail of marketing right now. Because, you know, back in the day it was all about segmentation and, you know, different, you know, based on, you know, your region, your, your age, you know, and that's, that's all great, but now we're really, we've gotten to a point where print communications are dealing on a one to one basis.

[Greg Kilstrom]

So to kind of segue there, the, the platforms, you know, a lot. Another thing we talk about a lot is AI's role and increasing role in, in marketing in, in general. And so AI isn't just a trend here. It's, you know, it's making significant inroads into not only digital but, but print. And so according to the report, 32% of marketers are currently using AI in print marketing, with an additional 31% planning to use it. How are you seeing AI being utilized to support print marketing efforts?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Yeah, well, we've seen marketers use who, especially marketers who use print heavily in their channel strategy, using AI for predictive analytics and to streamline operations. AI can also be used for supply chain management, for example, predicting demand for consumables like ink and paper.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Yeah, and I've certainly seen advantages in the, you know, I would say on the marketing operations side and the creation of content. I've seen a lot of it on the digital side because I just work a little bit more in that area. But what are you seeing as far as advantages of AI in creation and execution of print marketing campaigns?

[Stephanie Cortez]

I'm seeing that marketers that use the channel, the print channel specifically, tend to be leveraging AI, mostly for consumer insights, AI, allowing us to take large amounts of data and glean insights that make the customer experience more timely, relevant and targeted. So, you know, with that, I think it's very similar in the ways that digital marketers are utilizing AI. Just a different channel.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Yeah, yeah. And so next thing I wanted to talk about is just, you know, when, when we're talking about, it's not a, it's not a print versus digital conversation. It's, you know, I think as we've been talking about, it's, it's really how do both work best together because they can, they can really complement each other. But there is digital fatigue. You know, it's, it's a thing, you know, we're on our screens all day, we're being marketed to all day on those screens. And so, you know, there, there is A bit of fatigue there. So, you know, print marketing can actually offer a tangible alternative to, you know, the, the pop up ads and the, all that stuff that we're kind of inundated with. And the report mentioned previously indicates 94% of, of marketers are using print marketing to combat digital fatigue. What are the top strategies employed in this regard?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Yeah, I mean we've, we've been seeing many, many marketers continuing to use the direct mail channel as the sort of the flagship acquisition touchpoint. Being that it's proactive, highly directed and targeted. Some of the top strategies, you know, they, they include digital. It's not like you're saying it's not getting away from digital or you know, print verse digital, but the tactics typically include digital being surrounding the mail event with coordinated digital touches that support a campaign theme, bridging direct mail messaging and digital adoption with supportive tactics like QR codes and personalized URLs and also direct mail retargeting. This has been gaining huge popularity as like a very successful marketing tactic to move customers through the funnel.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Yeah, yeah. And then so you know, you've kind of, you've touched on this. But you know, for those wondering how effective these channels or these strategies in personalizing print materials for targeted messaging, how do you look at the effectiveness of the strategies for personalization?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Yeah, I believe these strategies are effective because while digital excels at immediacy and reach, I think print is trusted. We've seen tons of studies pointing that to the fact that print is trusted, impactful, personal and distinctive and unique. So together, I think digital and print just make a very powerful marketing partnership. Print messages will resonate more if they're reinforced digital messages and vice versa. We've experienced it with our own clients. I mean, time and time again when comparing a solo print campaign or a solo digital campaign versus a coordinated touches that support a campaign theme, meaning coordinated multi or omnichannel campaigns will always almost prove to generate higher return.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Yeah. Well, it's been great talking with you, Stephanie. Looking out ahead, what future trends do you see in the realm of print marketing, especially considering the integration of new technologies and data strategies as it relates

[Stephanie Cortez]

to print marketing, but more specifically, direct mail, Modern marketers are prioritizing value and performance over the lowest cost per piece we're seeing lately. Also, customer data, we see that will continuing to be leveraged in more sophisticated ways drive personalized campaigns. Also, more and more marketers will continue to embrace marketing automation for coordinated channel delivery as well as campaign measurement. And for all these reasons, another trend I definitely foresee getting stronger is digitally native brands continuing to test the channel into their marketing mix simply because, you know, they're realizing that it just works.

[Greg Kilstrom]

So can you elaborate a little bit on what you mean by value and lowest cost per piece just for those that a little, little, maybe a little more familiar with digital versus print?

[Stephanie Cortez]

Sure, absolutely. So this is something that we've at RD been referring to as a fundamental shift in direct marketing. So where marketers used to focus on volume and the masses and how many people can I reach and what is the cost per piece, they're now focused on the value and performance and becoming way more targeted and less focused on the cost per piece. And also there's more of a focus on the customer and their needs. You know, because of all this behav access to behavioral data and first party data that we've been talking about, you know, becoming way more customer centric versus what's the marketer's promotional agenda. So that that's really the biggest shift that we've been seeing in terms of how marketers are using the channel.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Yeah. Yeah. That's great. Well, again, I'd like to thank Stephanie

Cortez, Director of Strategic Analysis for the

Direct Marketing Division at RRD for joining the show. You can learn more about Stephanie and the findings of the print impact report by following the links in the show notes.

Thanks again for listening to the Agile brand brought to you by Tech Systems. If you enjoyed the show, please take a minute to subscribe and leave us a rating so that others can find the show more easily. You can access more episodes of the show at www.gregkilstrom.com. that's G-R E G K-I H L S T R O M dot com. While you're there, check out my series of best selling agile brand guides covering a wide variety of marketing technology topics. Or you can search for Greg Kilstrom on Amazon. The Agile brand is produced by Missing Link, a Latina owned, strategy driven, creatively fueled production co op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. Until next time, stay Agile,

[The Agile Brand Announcer]

The agile brand.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

And Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.

[Greg Kilstrom]

Hey everyone.

[Stephanie Cortez]

Check out this guy and his bird. What is this your first date?

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

Oh no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.

[Stephanie Cortez]

Yeah. The bird looks out of your league anyways.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

Get a [e-mail] or with your local agent.

[Stephanie Cortez]

Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty.

[The Agile Brand Announcer]

The Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University helps you go from I know the way to I've arrived with our top 10 ranked online MBA. Gain skills you can learn today and apply tomorrow. Get ready to go from make it happen to made it happen and keep striving. Visit strayer.edu Jack Welchmba to learn more. Strayer University is certified to operate in Virginia by Chev and its many campuses, including at 2121 15th Street north in Arlington, Virginia.