There is a tendency in the B2B e-commerce sector to look across to the top B2C brands and play down the applicability of the features and techniques that make their sites market leaders. The idea that stylish sites and flashy features only fit the B2C model, while B2B should focus on the bread and butter options to fit the typically measured and professional tone of voice that many B2B brands use. This is misplaced thinking, based on the division of B2B and B2C. In reality, there are businesses, there are customers, and there is e-commerce. Shopper psychology spans across each; the features that allow B2C brands to excel in the online space are there because they work. Chiefly, personalisation.
Personalisation has always played a role in commerce. In the past, personalisation existed in retail as an in-store assistant, and in industry as a sales rep that would build a relationship with the customer over time, learning their needs, their pain points and how they liked to conduct their business. These approaches have always led to a much improved buying experience; faster, easier and more accurate. But these relationships take time to build; it’s a long term process of listening, learning and responding. And while human-to-human contact is still very much valued, digital technology, data tracking and analysis can bear the load. When implemented well, personalisation can speed up sales cycles and nurture prospects into loyal customers.
Advancements in digital technology have radically cut the time it takes to understand each individual customer and provide a personalised commerce experience. This technology is widely available, often built in to your content management system; all businesses now have the ability to implement personalisation strategies into their marketing and commerce efforts. This is good news, seeing as smart personalisation engines used to recognise customer intent can lead to an average profit increase of 15%. The flipside to this, is that personalisation has moved from an added benefit of certain businesses to an expected feature across every experience. 33% of consumers abandoned a business relationship last year because of a lack of personalisation. This is a necessity, not a nice to have feature.
Utilising account specific data
When starting to think about how your business can use personalisation in its commerce sales funnel, begin by thinking about how the company can collect data about customers and visitors. It’s important to begin with data capture, as the implementation of features depends on the type of data collected.
For specific customers, data primarily comes through the account creation process: job function; past purchases; which pages they have previously visited on the site; their dwell time; on-site search history, and so on. If the current data collection on account creation is limited, build this out for future customers and consider requesting current users to update their profile with more information upon their next login. Rather than hiding the motive, make it clear that the company will be using the data for an improved, personalised shopping experience. This clarity will boost the numbers opting in to data sharing, as it clearly offers a mutually beneficial exchange.
Putting this in place, electronics manufacturer Omron was able to create a site that adapts to the needs of each visitor. By using information on the job function of each logged in visitor, the Omron site could dynamically adapt and funnel distributors, systems integrators, Omron employees and end users to the appropriate pages. This is a simple solution, using just one piece of data to adapt the site, but it has a major impact, with the ability to scale up personalisation based on further gathered information.
Making use of digitally automatically collected data
Thinking about data capture also means thinking about the information that is automatically collected when a user visits the site, whether logged in or not. Their location data, the search term that brought them to the site, their onsite user journey – all of this information can inform your personalisation approach. Personalisation based on this information is subtle, possibly unnoticed as the visitor explores the website. They may not recognise the personalised experience, but will come away thinking that the shopping experience was quick and easy.
This also applies to classic customer segmentations, a general grouping based around shared behaviours. Personalisation doesn’t always mean single individuals. These segmentations can be useful when thinking about broader data automatically collected by new visitors to the site, as the depth of information isn’t there to create an individual response. As an example, an electronic parts company could use site search data to establish a segmentation that prominently displays associated purchases to visitors.
With an understanding of how data is collected, your business can begin planning the execution. At this stage, think in terms of what can be done onsite and off-site. While it is easier to control the onsite content and design, focusing solely on the website can see businesses missing out on the opportunity to fine tune their contact with customers through advertising and direct messaging.
Dynamic content
Onsite, dynamic content is a useful tool to make use of. This is content that adapts based on the data that is fed into the CMS, whether it is account data, previous purchases, search terms, and so on. The most obvious use is often found in the leisure and tourism space; if a visitor clicks on a number of pages relating to Italian destinations, the site can adapt the background images on more general pages to show Rome, Venice and Florence.
In the B2B space, dynamic content can be used to display relevant information, based on what is known of the customer. If they have listed their job function as logistics, they can be shown contextual information on delivery times and options, while a member of the finance team will see more about pricing options and different payment plans.
Accelerating everyday tasks
Speeding up common processes is another use, particularly helpful when looking to keep long term customers engaged. There will be a number of actions that returning customers have to redo with each visit, the most obvious example being adding items to the basket.
This is particularly important for B2B commerce as orders can be large and complex, and customers are more likely to repeat their orders when compared to B2C. Improving reordering was a key feature when developing Brenntag’s new commerce platform, Brenntag Connect.
As a chemical distributor, Brenntag has a strict process when allowing new customers to use their service. Customers are typically placing large, identical orders, leading Brenntag to create an automation service that places repeat orders and provides relevant contextual information when customers need to make an adjustment. This is a clear indicator of why it’s important to remember that personalisation is not fitting to how customers buy, it’s fitting to how customers behave.
Supplying more information to upsell
When customers are returning to reorder from your company, there is an opportunity to upsell existing products and promote new ones. This goes beyond ‘customers who bought X also bought Y’. This form of personalisation should aim to suggest alterations and explain the reasoning, based on the specific customer’s order. Think of it as a digital representation of the sales rep relationship, understanding the developments in a customer’s business and reacting with new solutions.
It can also be developed into a website feature, an interactive problem solving flowchart or chatbot that allows visitors to input their problem or need and see what solutions the company would suggest.
Optimising site speed
Not every on-site personalisation improvement is interactive and clear for customers to see. Adding in predictive loading is one example, a feature that speeds up the load time for each page on your site based on similar customer journeys.
Customers may never realise that the site they visit uses predictive loading, but they will notice if a site is slow to load. Selling needs to be as smooth as possible; slow loading leads to a larger bounce rate. Installing features, like predictive loading, that uses the information gathered when analysing personalisation can ensure the process never stalls.
Off site-actions
Personalisation also applies to actions that the company makes off-site. Email is one area, automated workflows for customers that left the site without checking can bring them back, boosting conversion through reminders and specialised offers. This can similarly be used for surrounding purchases, following the frequency of repeat purchasing or the typical time it takes for a customer to branch out to a new product.
Also consider how the purchasing journey exists across different touchpoints such as apps, social media and face-to-face meetings. Is it easy to bring up the customer profile and optimise their order based on this information? This kind of integration creates a seamless experience, perfect for B2B’s longer, omnichannel purchasing journeys.
Facilitate an easier commerce experience
In each recommendation, the end goal of facilitating a faster, easier, more accurate commerce experience remains the number one priority. By hitting each aim, the business makes each customer more likely to checkout, more likely to return, and more likely to talk to people in their industry about how great purchasing from your business is. These improvements build up, a snowball effect that ultimately results in increased sales and larger, loyal customer base.
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Managing Director UK
Brian Robinson
DEPT® Lunch Break: Creative Automation
In the fast-paced world of marketing, consumer expectations are rising. More than ever, they want personalised experiences and offers.
An ‘always on’ approach to marketing automation is critical to build relationships through a series of integrated, relevant, timely and personalised communications across multiple channels.
But in today’s digital reality, it’s incredibly difficult to deliver effective, multi-channel retention and loyalty programmes in a privacy-by-default world.
DEPT® Lunch Break: Creative Automation
Enter, creative automation. The key to ensuring every piece of creative and communication builds and contributes to the broader strategic goals of your business, helping to establish and cement relationships with your customers at every stage of their journey.
Efficiency is table stakes. But creative automation improves speed, personalisation and value-driven campaigns (at scale) to help you reach audiences when it’s most impactful.
In this DEPT® Lunch Break, we’ll uncover the power, and necessity, of creative automation in the new marketing landscape.
By the time your lunch break winds up, you’ll understand:
- What creative automation actually is, and what it’s not
- How creative automation solves the challenges of manual production
- What brands are innovating in the space
- Why you should be making the business case for adopting creative automation
Meet the speakers
Anneloes van Vugt
Head of Content at DEPT®
Anneloes, a digital professional with a background in both media and creativity, has honed her expertise over a distinguished 8-year career as a content strategist on the agency side. She is a masterful connector in the realms of performance-based and creative thinking, skillfully weaving the threads of innovation and strategy. At DEPT®, Anneloes is the visionary driving force behind the creative team, which is passionately dedicated to achieving growth through inventive solutions and artistic brilliance.
Florencia Obert
Head of Creative Automation at DEPT®
With over a decade in tech agencies, Florencia is a specialist in creative automation. Leading DEPT®’s global team as the Head of Creative Automation across Product, Delivery & MarTech, she is at the forefront of pushing the technical and creative boundaries of this field. Florencia has been instrumental in shaping DEPT®’s creative automation offering from the ground up, and is passionate about streamlining processes and solving problems with technology. She is obsessed with finding innovative solutions that let tech do the hard work.
Mitch van den Akker
Digital Designer at DEPT®
Bringing together design, marketing, and innovation, Mitch seamlessly merges design and innovative technology to enhance online campaigns efficiently, prioritising quality, creativity, and customisation. He has extensive experience in global campaigns, specialising in automation and driven by a profound passion for creative creation through concepting, designing, and developing.
DEPT® × Adobe
Leveraging content, personalization, and AI at scale
Want to learn more about content automation at scale, personalization, and AI?
Join us on Wednesday, May 1st, to hear from our Adobe experts and guest speaker from smart Europe GmbH, Praveen Sadhineni. They’ll discuss the biggest challenges brands face and how we’re solving them with the Adobe suite.
APAC: 11:30 IST / 14:00 SGT / 16:00 AET
US/EMEA: 11:00 ET / 16:00 BST / 17:00 CEST
Save your spot!
DEPT® x Adobe Leveraging content, personalization, and AI at scale
Meet the speakers
Yash Mody
CTO, DEPT® Adobe Practice
Passionate CTO specializing in Adobe Experience Cloud at DEPT®, driving innovation and success through expert Development, Deployment, Architecture, Integration, Audit, and Sizing of cutting-edge solutions like AEM, AEP, Workfront, ALM, and other products.Crafting seamless APIs that empower MarTech teams to take control effortlessly. APIs built with the utmost security, using a pragmatic rest approach and an outside-in perspective, ensuring minimal deployment when changes are made. Leveraging SHAFT (Tekno Point’s API Management solution), we create robust APIs that pave the way for streamlined operations. Proud Chief Architect of SHAFT, a near-no-code API management platform trusted by numerous enterprises. With SHAFT, businesses can optimize their API management processes and unlock unparalleled efficiency.Defining captivating e-commerce journeys for significant enterprises, enabling them to thrive in the digital landscape and provide exceptional customer experiences.
Oleg Sidorenko
Senior Adobe Solutions Consultant
Oleg is a seasoned digital experience architect, consultant and marketing technologist focusing on Adobe solutions. His expertise spans content and asset management, commerce, customer lifecycle marketing, data management and activation, analytics and personalisation. After working as a creative software consultant at Adobe in the early 2010s, he graduated to the agency world of digital marketing and experience management with clients in consumer electronics, automotive and racing, retail, insurance and banking.
With 25+ years of experience in most project roles and 15 expert certifications by Adobe across Experience Cloud, Creative Cloud and Document Cloud under his belt, Oleg blends extensive technology expertise with a deep understanding of business drivers, challenges and digital strategy. Oleg speaks the same language with CEOs and CMOs as well as with designers and developers, making sure that DEPT’s solutions for Adobe clients reach their business goals and are future-proof and optimised for performance and user productivity.
Praveeen Sadhineni
smart Europe GmbH
As a Lead – CX CoE at smart Europe GmbH, Praveen’s main responsibilities are to provide expert advice in customer experience & customer journey to the business, and optimal usage of Adobe experience cloud technology.
Praveen also manages strategic partnership engagement with Adobe and Business partners.
Praveen lives with his young family located towards North of Munich, Germany, which provides a great opportunity to be close to nature, meadows & lakes and also enjoy traditional Bavarian culture.
We help brands leverage Adobe
As a global digital agency and Platinum Adobe Partner, we have a track record of helping brands leverage Adobe. Our 500+ Adobe team comprises designers, developers, marketers, and analysts who are passionate about the platform and what it can do for digital businesses.
We can help you maximize your investments in Adobe solutions and strategize, scale, and personalize experiences. And with broad expertise in AI, we can help you shape and ship innovative AI strategies.
We’d love to see you on the other side of the screen! Register to join.
Spatial computing, expected to reach a market size of over $700 billion by 2033, integrates AI, computer vision, AR, and VR to merge virtual experiences with the physical world. Many believe that it has the potential to impact the world in the same way smartphones did in the early 2000s.
With spatial computing, your surroundings become interactive canvases, where every gesture and glance shape your digital interaction. It promises to revolutionize customer engagement, offering immersive experiences tailored to individuals.
But what does this mean for your industry?
With a diverse and global team of over 4,000 digital experts at DEPT®, we have many perspectives on the potential impact of spatial computing and how it will extend across industries like fashion, music, retail, health, and education.
Read on for some hot takes from experts on how they see the future of spatial computing.
Commerce
James Lowe – VP Commerce APAC
The goal of an e-commerce website is, ideally, to sell products, and they do that by simulating real life shopping experiences online. We add products to a virtual ‘cart’ and virtually visit the ‘checkout.’ The reality is, though, that there is still a huge gap between real-world touch and feel experiences talking to a salesperson and online shopping. This is changing.
From immersive experiences, viewing a rug in your room or a hologram of yourself sized with those new jeans, the effect of spatial computing in reshaping the e-commerce experience will be massive. It’s not only about being able to try out that rug in your living room but how that will affect light and sound, changing your experience of your own home forever.
Spatial computing, whether AR, VR, or any reality that edges us closer to replicating real-world shopping and in-store personalization, will change how we shop forever. We have only scratched the service.
The targeted use of these technologies will be important. Successful brands will use spatial computing subtly (not everyone has an Apple Vision Pro!) and AI passively to bring users on the journey where required and blow our minds at other touch points in the mixed reality commerce journeys of the future.
This is a moment for commerce brands to set themselves apart in a field wide open with opportunity. Brands that continue creating immersive, personalized shopping experiences, replicating and augmenting real word experiences as the technology evolves, will emerge as leaders.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
I bought a trampoline for the kids for Christmas this year. The AR feature on the site allowed me to video my front yard in real-time, position the trampoline in the yard, and walk around it, seeing the placement from different angles. I was surprised at how accurate it was. I got my tape measure out to verify (didn’t trust the tech!), and the virtual placement was spot on.
This was a super helpful application of AR enhancing my buying experience. I had limited space in my yard, so this augmented view of my yard sold it for me. AR placing products in situ is not the most cutting-edge example of spatial computing, but it was the best example I have personally experienced and led me to the checkout.
FMGC
Jessica White – General Manager Creative & Content Australia
I’ve been a storyteller my entire life. Sitting around the table with my family, we took turns to see who could tell the best story. I love the creativity of it, the challenge of finding the right hook, and helping brands become famous. Famous in the category, internally, and most importantly, famous with consumers, making their product the one they reach for first.
Fast forward 10 years, storytelling is more diverse than ever, with TikTok as a platform for entertainment, self-expression, and search! Personalisation gives tailored brand experiences across email, social channels, and online shopping. Technology is making it easier and easier to reach consumers and tell them richer stories. Spatial Computing is enabling us to seamlessly merge the physical world with the magical world of digital. Picture consumers virtually learning how to brush their teeth properly or wash their hands effectively in their own spaces, testing, learning, and experiencing them firsthand.
The digital world as we know it has changed forever. Things are only going to get more exciting from here. We’re taking storytelling to a new dimension, and I’m here for it!
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
From virtually trying on beauty products to unlocking a world of interactive content and promotions, spatial computing empowers marketers with the tools to weave captivating stories. Consider the experience of trying on different makeup looks in augmented reality or seamlessly accessing additional information and promotions while browsing in-store. One may be more functional than the other, but both avenues create a richer storyline for consumers to explore, transforming mere transactions into memorable experiences.
Retail
Asher Wren – VP Growth Americas
Spatial computing will change the game in commerce in several ways— from behind-the-scenes operations and logistics like inventory and supply chain management and helping warehouse staff to locate items more efficiently through to creating more immersive, contextually relevant customer experiences at-home or in-store.
Industries that typically rely on more tactile, white-glove customer journeys— e.g., luxury fashion, auto, home furnishings, etc. will see a completely revolutionized retail experience. Shopping experiences in those industries are increasingly digital. Still, nothing compares to being able to feel the finish on an Eames chair, feel the weight of a Rolex in your hand, or see the movement of a Gucci garment.
Spatial computing will put customers on their catwalks in this season’s must-have, in the driver’s seat of a luxury car, or in a newly decorated and kitted-out home. It’s the next step in bringing elevated shopping experiences for high-ticket items into the home, changing retail forever.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
I’m a big fan of using augmented reality to make static artwork come to life. It’s an oldie but a goodie— There’s something very punk rock DIY about the MoMAR concept— a group of artists leveraging augmented reality to overlay digital art onto traditional works of art in galleries.
The concept challenges the notion of what art is and pokes fun at the elitism of the fine art world. On the other end of the spectrum, for businesses, using AR to bring billboards to life can create engaging, buzz-worthy brand activations while also making existing OOH media buys work harder by establishing measurable paths to purchase from static billboards to digital/e-commerce.
Music
Henry Daubrez – CEO & COO Dogstudio/DEPT®
Past the expected entertainment outcome from a device like the Apple Vision Pro, there’s a huge potential for learning new skills.
I used to (badly) play the guitar as a teenager, by myself, at home, and I do remember printing sheet after sheet of chords and going through the painful journey of constantly moving from the sheets to the fretboard. I mean, nothing crazy, but it was still getting in the way of me learning a new skill.
Now, looking at the future of spatial computing and offering information contextually, there’s a future in which learning music can be offered directly in relation to the instrument, showing you the chords next to the fretboard or the notes on top of the piano keys. Even better, leveraging AI, there’s a very short path to suggesting the next note and giving you the fundamentals of improvisation.
This is one simple example but music, being attached to a different of our senses, has the potential to be experienced differently thanks to the evolution of headset technologies.
We’re still early despite the dozens of years separating us from the initial generations of headsets and the most recent ones.
Technology is finally getting to where we can experience the full expected potential: a seamless, integrated, contextual experience intertwined with reality. The Apple Vision Pro and the recent Quest3 are one iteration closer to that dream but not fully there yet.
I’m looking forward to the possibilities of experiencing and learning music (and a lot of other things) in a visual, natural, and neck pain-free manner.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
As mentioned, all the passthrough (and therefore avoiding pure VR) experiences around the learning of new skills are fascinating to me, whether it’s about cooking, learning an instrument (check PianoVision), or learning a trade. People directly think about gaming when looking at these devices, but the untapped education market is endless.
BFSI
Yash Moody – CTO APAC
Spatial computing presents an unparalleled opportunity to improve financial literacy worldwide by making complex concepts more accessible and engaging across diverse age groups and demographics. By leveraging immersive technologies, financial education can become more interactive, intuitive, and inclusive, empowering individuals to make informed financial decisions and participate more effectively in the global economy.
The convergence of fintech innovators and traditional financial institutions facilitated by spatial computing can lead to the development of groundbreaking products and methodologies prioritizing human-centric design and user experience. This collaboration can drive innovation and efficiency while addressing the evolving needs of consumers in the digital age.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
Several financial organizations have explored virtual branches using VR to make banking more accessible and inclusive. This makes banking more cost-efficient, secure, accessible, and personalized.
Family & Kids
Joey Eggar – Executive Director Games & Emerging Tech
When it comes to tech and kids, at the end of the day, it’s not so much about the technology, it’s about the experience.
For kids, it’s about what’s fun, intuitive, and engaging: What can tell a good story. What can provide a cool challenge? And for their caregivers – is my child safe using this device and playing this experience?
It’s our job to create spatial interactive experiences that feel natural to that device and are intuitive and safe for the user to play. We want the experience to work for the end user, not just for the device.
We’ve been working on variations of Spatial technology since 2012, kicking off with the award-winning The Hidden Park, which used a form of AR before AR was formally integrated into phones. Since then, we’ve crafted many projects utilizing AR with well-known kids’ brands such as The Wiggles and Sesame Street, VR to help kids reduce stress and anxiety during needle procedures with the Webby Award-winning SmileyScope, and with XR currently having fun with some projects that blend Mixed Reality headsets with real-world experiences.
With all our spatial work, we know that the tech is just a tool, and it’s the enriching experiences it facilitates that truly matter.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
It’s very simple, but the XR devices such as APV, Hololens, MetaQuest, and MagicLeap, when you initially map the environment around you. They all do it differently, but I never get bored of it, and it makes me feel like I’m on a Star Trek holodeck.
Education
Phil Gonzalez – Director of Engineering
Spatial computing, along with mixed and augmented reality technology, has the potential to redefine the educational paradigm.
If we were to bring a time traveler 200 years from the past to the present, 99% of our world would look vastly different to them: a classroom, however, would look mostly the same: a set of desks facing a presenter at the front of a room. While online, self-paced, and digital learning has started to take form in the last couple of decades, it still isn’t a stand-in for the in-person experience. You don’t have to look further than standardized test scores dropping dramatically during the COVID-19 lockdowns for evidence of this.
However, this is fortunately on the path towards change. VR/MR headsets allow learners to step into nearly any subject matter virtually. Want to learn about the human body? Shrink yourself down to the size of an organelle and explore it yourself! Perform lab observations in VR and later generate reports about those observations on a traditional computer. Studying WWI? Step into the moment of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination and political turmoil and speak with virtualized eyewitnesses.
MR/VR also enables a sense of presence missing from virtual learning experiences. With an online can an instructor know if students are engaged and understanding the material or disengaged and lost? Live video calls can sometimes help, but monitoring the facial expressions of 20+ students over Zoom doesn’t always work. Newly developed VR technologies enable eye tracking and facial gesture mapping that allow virtual avatars to appear confused, lost, or engaged and learning.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
Arizona State University’s DreamScape Learn. I had the pleasure last year of demoing some of the courses they offer and was blown away by the level of interactivity.
Gaming
Todd Hutchinson – Creative Director
Virtual Reality has never managed to live up to the promise of Ready Player One. Although it’s not surprising, only a select few are happy to block out their reality in favor of a digital one, and then there’s the motion sickness… blargh.
But spatial computing is a very different and vomit-free beast. It offers a brave new future, where real and digital worlds collide to make both cutting-edge and simple intuitive experiences.
Once the hardware reaches the point of looking like ordinary glasses, I can imagine everyone wearing them to engage in daily digital activities. From a gaming perspective, there are countless opportunities to integrate gameplay with the world around. Hide behind the couch to avoid enemy fire in an FPS, solve escape room experiences in your bedroom, or create and manage complex cities in your lounge.
The future seems bright, I gotta wear [spatial computing] shades.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
First Encounters. It’s a very simple and fun game in which players blast away at fuzzy little aliens to capture as many as they can before time runs out. The cool integration of Spatial Computing is that it starts off in the player’s room, and as they fire their blasters, they blow holes in their walls to reveal an alien world beyond. The aliens move from their alien world into the player’s room, and the player has to walk around to find hidden aliens. By the time the round is up, the walls are destroyed, and the player is now in the alien world.
Health
Evan Davey – VP Growth APAC
In healthcare, spatial computing isn’t just about enhancing patient experiences; it’s about revolutionizing care delivery. Imagine surgeons seamlessly accessing patient data in real-time during procedures or medical professionals conducting virtual simulations to refine treatment plans.
Spatial computing empowers us to bridge geographical gaps, providing remote consultations and monitoring for patients in rural areas. However, it’s not without its challenges—ensuring data security and privacy remains paramount.
Yet, the potential to improve outcomes and streamline processes is undeniable. As we navigate this transformative landscape, collaboration between healthcare providers, technologists, and policymakers will be crucial in realizing the full benefits of spatial computing for the industry.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
I’m absolutely taken by the breadth of use cases for the Apple Vision Pro, so it’s hard to nail it down to just one example. One experience I’m particularly looking forward to being an Australian – and air travel out of the country taking at least 8 hours – is taking an Apple Vision Pro onto the plane, watching movies in what will feel like a theatre rather than a cramped economy seat and working in that same seat on a projected 4K screen, rather than bending over my iPad. Add to that the privacy that comes with the APV, and I’m pumped to get onto that plane!
Fashion
Jan Gutkuhn – Director Web3
Spatial Computing was invented for the fashion industry. In the world of fashion, the allure of the runway is undeniable. Yet, the digital representation is full of limitations and disappointments. Spatial computing offers a lifeline, bridging the gap between the real and the virtual. It’s a designer’s dream becoming reality, setting the industry free.
The biggest opportunity lies in creating more human and emotional experiences through 3D – directly from the creative director’s imagination. No proxy, no samples, no shootings. Fully immersive experiences evoke a sense of wonder and delight – something missing in the realm of the 2D screens and CR-optimized online shops of today.
Imagine entering an immersive, highly emotional brand universe, seeing yourself in the latest runway looks, and chatting with a virtual stylist who understands your unique tastes and preferences based on your body measurements. Or attending a virtual fashion show where you can interact with models and designers in real time. For as long as you want – and you will want to stay and get lost, and shop…
These are the experiences that bring fashion to life in ways that were previously unimaginable. It allows brands to democratize the front row, inviting anyone and everyone to immerse themselves into the brand’s universe like never before.
This is it. Unlimited creativity and pure emotion. Directly from the designer’s brain into your Apple Vision Pro.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
Our work with H&M on creating their virtual showroom. 69% of the respondents said that the showroom had piqued their interest in a virtual H&M brand experience.
Automotive
Peter Van Alphen – Strategy Director Growth Europe
The world of mobility is rapidly changing from physical environments to digital experiences. Legacy manufacturers and emerging industry players are reinventing and rethinking the traditional paradigms. Electric vehicles, digital-first buying models, technology-led information systems, and self-driving solutions are leading the way in society and will become the standard.
In the realm of automotive, spatial computing is reshaping the driving experience, both within and beyond the vehicle’s interior. Innovations such as Augmented Reality Dashboards, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Predictive Maintenance, and Smart Parking Solutions exemplify the dynamic changes transforming the automotive industry. I am particularly excited about the potential of spatial computing to address traffic congestion and enhance driving safety.
At DEPT®, we’re at the forefront of innovation in the automotive landscape. We’re strategically positioned to provide comprehensive end-to-end customer experiences, leveraging the power of AI, technology, creativity, and media.
Best encounter with spatial computing so far?
I am deeply impressed by the spatial computing solutions that Tesla is developing and integrating into their vehicles. From the adaptive cruise control feature to the sophisticated infotainment systems and the advanced navigation system capable of recognizing environmental surroundings, Tesla is enhancing driving safety and security significantly. I eagerly anticipate the innovations and advancements that lie ahead.
Fostering creativity and curiosity
Spatial computing has the power to revolutionize how we interact with technology, reshape industries, and redefine user engagement. It’s a call to action for businesses to embrace this technology as a catalyst for innovation and growth, unlocking new opportunities to create immersive, personalized experiences that transcend traditional boundaries.
However, realizing this potential requires overcoming challenges such as data security, logistical integration, and ensuring equitable access. Despite these hurdles, the consensus is clear: The future of spatial computing is limitless, and it’s up to businesses to seize the moment and shape the digital landscape of tomorrow.
With a deep understanding of emerging technologies and a track record of delivering cutting-edge digital solutions, our teams at DEPT® are uniquely positioned to guide businesses through the complexities of spatial computing integration.
Creativity x AI: An interview series exploring the near future
Insights
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From investing heavily in developing electric vehicles, to shifting towards direct-to-consumer models and exploring digital-first experiences both inside and outside the car, to evolving consumer preferences, automakers need to become more tech-savvy and data driven to adapt and thrive in an evolving landscape.
DEPT®/AUTOMOTIVE is an expert team dedicated to building the future of automotive – collaborating with some of the world’s most respected brands, innovative startups and forward thinking organisations.
Driving mobility
The global automotive industry is at a critical juncture due to shifting consumer needs. Delivering a frictionless buying experience has become too complex. Standing out and building trust amongst consumers is highly competitive and difficult. And it’s a struggle to balance offering user-friendly interfaces, advanced in-car features and EV offerings, all at the same time.
Based on our 20+ years of experience in the automotive industry and working for some of the leading brands like Audi, smart, Triumph Motorcycles, and Piëch, we are well-positioned to lead the way in technology and marketing to help automotive brands stay ahead.
DEPT®/AUTOMOTIVE is the answer to the challenges tech and marketing leaders face:
Revolutionising the car buying experience
We build brands, and craft stories and experiences that customers want in a digital-first world. Our unique creative, AR and 3D skills create experiences such as online showrooms that allow users to configure their dream car and conveniently buy it online via user-friendly and intuitive online platforms.
Connecting the dots for personalised marketing
With precision targeting and AI, we deliver the perfect message at the right moment and location to attract potential car buyers and push subscription and pre-purchase models across the customer journey. We keep customers engaged and nurture them towards the sale by leveraging first-party data.
Preparing for the future of driving
From advanced infotainment systems to smart assistants, we transform the way clients and their customers interact with vehicles. Our user-friendly solutions ensure seamless charging experiences, paving the way for a sustainable future.
Deep industry experience
We’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the world’s most innovative automotive brands
Revolutionizing the car buying experience
We help automotive brands to deliver pioneering, frictionless buying experiences.
ALL SERVICES
Brand and creative
We craft the stories that your audience wants to hear. Whether it’s around speed, range, or luxury, we leverage brand strategy, creative thinking, and motion design to infuse creativity that is profoundly human and culturally significant.
360 campaigns
We excel in developing tailored, end-to-end creative marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience. We craft cohesive strategies spanning the customer journey and deploy creative automation for global reach, whether for customer acquisition or lifecycle marketing.
AR and 3d
Our distinctive blend of creativity, AR, and 3D expertise enables us to craft online showrooms that allow users to configure their dream car and conveniently buy it via user-friendly and intuitive online platforms, turning the car exploration and customisation process into a truly delightful experience.
CX and commerce
We provide end-to-end solutions that enhance conversion rates and sustain customer engagement. We can help your platform seamlessly blend inspiration, engagement and sales.
Connecting the dots for personalized marketing
With precision targeting and AI, we deliver the perfect message at the right moment and location to attract potential car buyers and push subscription and pre-purchase models. We keep your customers engaged and nurture them towards the sale by leveraging first-party data.
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Full Funnel Media
Our media strategies cover the entire spectrum, from raising upper-funnel awareness through various channels to driving performance and conversions via search engines and specialised publishers like Carwow. We optimise budget allocation for maximum efficiency and effectiveness, employing cutting-edge media solutions to accelerate your business outcomes.
Data driven marketing
We employ advanced data and segmentation strategies to deliver highly personalised experiences. Through a deep understanding of your audience and consumer behaviour, we fine-tune your marketing campaigns with precision through methods like incrementally testing and data driven personas, resulting in increased revenues and reduced ad waste.
Marketing automation at scale
We deliver messages that are not only timely but also tailored to specific locations, ensuring that customers remain engaged and are directed towards making a purchase. Our strategy hinges on the use of precision targeting, AI and first-party data to unlock customer journeys, foster loyalty, and seamlessly automate processes.
Analytics and Business Intelligence
Our team of data and intelligence experts will configure, collect and seamlessly integrate your data, and extract actionable insights. Additionally, we harness advanced analytics techniques to make evidence-based predictions that not only meet customer needs but also elevate brand perception.
Preparing for the future of driving
From advanced infotainment systems to smart assistants, we transform the way clients and their customers interact with vehicles. Our user-friendly solutions ensure seamless charging experiences, paving the way for a sustainable future.
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Product Innovation
We revolutionise the interaction between clients and their vehicles with enhanced in-car features and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Our user-friendly solutions guarantee smooth charging experiences, on-screen interactions, and innovative product offerings.
Connected experiences
With the emergence of larger displays on the dashboard and onboarding the power of 3D gaming engine, we unlock a realm of possibilities for customisation and personalisation.
self driving solutions
Our experience in infotainment systems and content/UX/UI can help automotive brands deliver an exceptional experience for passengers. And we can help brands establish the right marketing strategy to ensure consumers are comfortable and excited about taking advantage of this cutting-edge technology.
Augmented information
Leveraging augmented information technology via windshield displays and similar innovations, we aim to streamline your space and deliver precise information at the perfect moment, right within your field of view. Our in-vehicle screen experiences are designed to enhance your driving convenience and safety, making your journey smoother and more secure.
Drop us a line
Drop us a line to discuss how we can work together to achieve your goals.
Insights
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DEPT® has launched DEPT®/AI, its AI-focused practice that is helping brands to solve complex challenges and increase productivity through turnkey AI solutions and innovative creative experiences.
With a multidisciplinary team of over 400 specialists on five continents, DEPT®/AI enabled 30% of the agency’s revenue in 2022 and boasts a client portfolio that includes Philips, Google and eBay. By 2025, the company expects 10% of its revenue to come from turnkey AI solutions and 80% from AI-enabled work.
“AI is unlocking limitless possibilities and potential for brands,” said Isabel Perry, VP of Emerging Technology at DEPT®. “Our clients are eager to leverage AI but are often daunted by the complex questions surrounding design, ethics, and operations. We give them an experienced AI implementation partner to capitalise on today’s opportunities, in a way that goes beyond the hype and makes sense for their business.”
The team is committed to integrating AI in an ethical and progressive way and has already created innovative projects such as an AI-powered docking station to steer cargo ships, a machine learning hand tracking system to teach American Sign Language alphabet, and creating a unique, AR experience with generative AI collectible cards for eBay’s MCM Comic Con campaign.
AI has also been a growing focus for DEPT®’s proprietary tech platform, Ada by DEPT®, as 20% of the tools in the platform are already powered by AI. GPT-3 has been powering many of these tools since 2020. DEPT® is also integrating generative AI tools into the Ada platform, along with new ways to improve the feedback loop between performance and content generation.
Dimi Albers, Global CEO at DEPT® said, “We’ve been pioneering AI technology for over six years, helping brands like Just Eat Takeaway to deliver personalisation at scale, and Philips to analyse its data more effectively. We’ll continue to push the potential of AI, and believe it will power 80% of what we do as a marketing and technology services provider.”
Learn more about DEPT®/AI
More news
Questions?
Global SVP of Marketing
Marjan Straathof
Artificial Intelligence
Powered by a multidisciplinary team of 400+ creatives and engineers, DEPT®/AI is your implementation partner, building custom pre-trained models, empowering data science teams, and integrating AI into pioneering creative and product experiences.
Our dedicated practice accelerates the adoption of AI, offering solutions including generative AI and content generation at scale, all while ensuring it’s done in an ethical and progressive way.
AI agency
AI pioneers
We believe that AI will accelerate our clients’ businesses and transform our own, driving revenue growth, and positively enhancing the day-to-day work of our teams.
ACCELERATING BUSINESS
We predict that 80% of what we do as a full-service marketing and technology services provider will have an AI helper to make us faster and better. Some disciplines will make intense use of it, while some will be more light touch, but the overall adoption will have far-reaching, positive outcomes. We are dedicated to maximizing the opportunities of AI for the benefit of our clients, delivering cost-effective solutions while maintaining our culture of pioneering experimentation.
TURNKEY SOLUTIONS
Capitalizing on the opportunities of AI implementation comes with complexity. Organizations are facing tricky questions on design, tech, ethics, security, law, operations, workflow, and culture. DEPT®/AI can help businesses to simplify and navigate their AI journey with our ethical and progressive turnkey solutions in growth and engineering, and by enabling more pioneering creative work with AI.
TRANSFORMATIVE TEAMS
AI will undoubtedly disrupt and transform our industry, and our team is at the forefront of that change. In addition to our 400+ AI experts, we are empowering all of our teams to maximize the benefits of AI by embedding it into our workflows to ensure we’re always staying ahead for our clients.
Ada by DEPT®
20% of the tools in our proprietary tech platform, Ada by DEPT®, are powered by AI, including tools for SEO, anomaly detection, SEA ad copy generation, CRO roast automation, content generation for Amazon, and SEO trends monitoring. GPT-3 has been powering many of these tools since 2020. We’re also integrating generative AI tools into Lightspeed, our proprietary tool for creating assets at scale.
Our clients
For over a decade, DEPT® has been exploring how AI can solve complex challenges, unleash creativity and increase productivity for clients across the globe.
Building
Running
Using
Our approach
An an AI-driven agency, AI is integrated across all of our services, which we simplify into Building, Running, and Using.
Our engineering teams have deep expertise across both Machine Learning (ML) operations and data science, enabling them to build solutions that solve complex challenges. From personalisation capabilities to predictive insights and content generation, AI accelerates the capabilities of our engineering solutions.
From deploying models into production, through to audience management and multivariate experimentation, AI drives efficiency and accuracy.
GPT chatbots, AR, and content generation at scale are a few ways we use AI to exceed consumer expectations and deliver digital solutions that elevate the customer experience.
Personalization
We developed AI powered recommendation systems to realise personalisation at scale at JET, Rituals, Philips and many others.
Spend management
MMM and MTA econometrics models are developed to better understand which channels and campaigns drive growth for several clients.
Value based bidding
We leverage 360 customer data to fuel marketing platforms with the predicted profit of transactions (incorporating return probability etc) at Sunweb, Randstad and many others.
Predictive insights & alerting
Ada developed an alerting system that empowers teams with predictive insights & alerts about the accounts they manage.
Content generation
The SEO content generation tool available in ADA is powered by GPT-3.
Search and Discoverability
Provide users with faster and more accurate access to information.
Custom NLP Applications
Building tools for sentiment analysis, named entity recognition, text classification and text generation.
ML Ops
Ensuring machine learning models work well and continue to work well over time
Feature engineering and storage
Creating and transforming input data into a form that can be fed into an ML model
Audience management and multivariate experimentation
Manage and segment audience groups for marketing and advertising purposes
Batch and realtime inference systems
Deploying machine learning models
Synthetic labelling using LLMs
Generating synthetic labels for training machine learning models using natural language processing (NLP) techniques
GPT Chatbots
We use pre-trained GPT chatbots to create custom conversational AI.
R&D
Collaborating with tech companies on creative applications of new AI hardware and software
Creative applications
Incorporating pre-existing models and tools into applications like games, apps and website
Content generation
Creating text, audio, video and 3D assets
AR
Using MV and generative AI to create AR experiences
Our partners & technologies
Together with our trusted partners and by using future-forward technologies, we push the boundaries of what is possible with AI, to create pioneering solutions for our clients.
Cases
Ethics
We’re in the process of establishing a digital ethics board to help us ensure that our ethical approach to AI is aligned with our values. This board will be instrumental in developing a set of principles that guide the evolution of DEPT®/AI with the right values at its core.
Growth
AI will offer the world new possibilities and potential. We adopt, build, and train AI to expand our services and business offering while accelerating our processes across technology and marketing.
Innovation
AI allows our team to dimensionalize our ideas and thinking faster to make quicker and better decisions.
Insight
AI offers us data and intelligence for making better decisions for our clients, applying insights and learnings to solve our clients’ unique problems.
Displacement
For any job role that is replaced by AI, we will do our best to offer training and skills development in an effort to retain employment.
Insights
Let’s work together. We’d love to help you in all things AI.
We understand these are uncharted territories. We partner with our clients to learn what works and what doesn’t. Reach out, we’d love to connect, consult, and share our insights and expertise regarding your questions about your future with AI.
Contact the DEPT®/AI team
The NFT market is shifting towards empowerment and ownership, where participation, community, and unique experiences are essential.
To be successful in these ever-evolving spaces, innovation is key. In our work as a Web3 agency, we’ve been exploring how to use web3 to drive loyalty and revenue. Our research recently led us to combine AR and branded tokens to create personalised digital wearables.
We created a product that can help brands give exclusive personalisation through ownership. This is particularly interesting for fashion, where loyal fans seek exclusivity, being ahead of the curve, and sustainability.
Introducing DEPT®’s tokengated AR jacket
Using DEPT® NFTs from our Web3 Labs experience, Depsters can unlock an exclusive and unique virtual jacket where each jacket incorporates its owner’s individual NFT into the design.
It also took the attribute “colour” from their NFT to update the neon glow in the jacket to match the NFT colour, making it a unique and exclusive piece of fashion facilitated through ownership.
What is tokengated AR fashion?
“Tokengated” = unlocked through tokens.
It works like this. A brand would create blockchain-backed tokens that represent ownership. Once given out or purchased, it would allow the users to unlock unique traits in an AR fashion.
Here’s why it matters.
Besides giving holders one-of-a-kind looks to wear in the metaverse, this technology gives brands a way to share exclusive, community-focused drops that deliver unique utility to their token holders. It’s a product for fashion brands looking to stand out in virtual worlds–metaverse or others.
Want to learn more?
Director of Tech Projects
Lauren Chester
We had a blast at Adobe Summit 2023!
Miss us? Learn more about our Adobe practice or contact our sales team.
Adobe Summit 2023
See you next year
We are proud to be Platinum Sponsors of the Adobe Summit 2023!
If you came by our booth, you got an accurate representation of our office’s unique and vibrant feel. Attendees received awesome giveaways, including trendy tote bags, stylish DEPT® branded socks, and cool water bottles. And let’s not forget about the happy hour we hosted with an amazing DJ, refreshing Heineken, and delicious Hard Seltzer – it was the ultimate celebration!
Our global team of 20+ people from 3 different continents (APAC, EMEA, Americas) brought an electric energy to the event, and we loved meeting all the other talented professionals in attendance. Thank you to everyone who made this event such a blast – we’re already looking forward to next year’s Adobe Summit!
Leverage the power of Adobe with our global network of digital professionals
As a global digital agency, we have a long track record of successful Adobe solution implementations, including being named APAC Adobe Digital Experience Emerging Partner of the Year for 2021 and 2022.
We believe that experiences need to be more than just designed. They need to be engineered.
This is the governing philosophy behind our unique approach to Experience Engineering, through which we apply strategic leadership, pioneering technology, and methodical execution & enablement to deliver fast, frictionless, and future-ready results.
Through this approach, our team of 500+ Adobe experts has delivered hundreds of projects across the full Adobe ecosystem to drive real-time personalisation at scale and help businesses achieve a faster time-to-market with boosted operational efficiency.
In short, we can help you accelerate your returns on Adobe investments and reach your audience wherever they are.
In January 2023, Google publicly announced that it will sunset its freemium tool for website experimentation and A/B testing, Google Optimize, after September 30, 2023. Let’s explore what we currently know and why you should start thinking about how to move forward.
What we know so far
Google Optimize was launched over 5 years ago to help brands and businesses to easily test and improve their UX. However, according to Google, it isn’t up-to-date anymore as it “does not have many of the features and services that our customers request and need for experimentation testing.”
The web giant is therefore sunsetting the tool by the end of September of this year. Until then, Optimize will remain available. Google has further promised that it will invest in third-party A/B testing integrations for Google Analytics 4. Initially, they will partner with Optimizely, A/B Tasty, and VWO. Further integrations will be announced after a validation period.
What you should do now
There’s no need to panic. If you’re currently using Google Optimize for A/B testing and/or personalisation, you have two immediate options:
- 1. Keep doing what you’re doing (and switch to GA4)
Continue using Google Optimize for your experimentation program, but make sure you transition your Universal Analytics (which will sunset in July 2023) to Google Analytics 4 and await further information from Google on the third-party A/B testing integrations. Find out how to transition to GA4 in our handy guide.
- 2. Document your requirements and explore alternatives
If you decide to look for alternative solutions before Google Optimize sunsets, start by gathering your requirements and think about the use cases you need your new tool to cover such as which types of tests you need to run, what targeting options you need, and which audiences you require.
Here’s what we think
There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution. If you’ve been using Google Optimize until now, chances are a free alternative or an affordable entry level plan will be good options to continue with your efforts. Which tool to choose depends heavily on the features you require, the amount of traffic you have on your website, and your use cases.
Some tools come with free trial periods or offer free product demos. We recommend getting acquainted with some of the alternatives and signing up for demos or trials.