AI drives a 36% campaign lift beyond cookie deprecation

By Priya Raman

Special K achieved a 36% campaign lift through more precise audience targeting, while an Adspeak by ADWEEK episode also cited creative analytics falling from 100 hours to under 10.

Ryan Joe, ADWEEK’s editor in chief, hosted the discussion with Eric Danetz, president of Cognitiv, and Nicole Vinson, vice president of agency ecosystem and growth marketing integration lead at Mars. The panel examined how AI and deep learning can reshape marketing as brands move beyond cookie deprecation, strengthen data foundations, uncover consumer insights and improve media and creative efficiency.

What does this change for marketers?

Taken together, the panel’s examples put AI behind three operating decisions: which consumer signals guide targeting, which audiences receive a campaign and how quickly teams can judge creative performance. The 36% Special K result and the drop from 100 hours to under 10 give those decisions measurable benchmarks.

Cleaner data. Clean-room technology brings different data sources together to form a more complete picture of audiences, the panel said. It presented that capability as a way to strengthen data foundations and improve the consumer picture used for targeting.

Behavioral data. The panel argued that behavioral data offers a more accurate view of consumer preferences than traditional panel research. It also said behavior-based targeting can outperform demographics.

Pilot before scale. The panel described the deployment sequence as “Pilot-First.” The approach tests AI applications before teams commit to large-scale implementation, giving them a basis for deciding whether and how to expand.

Creative acceleration. The episode cited creative analytics falling from 100 hours to under 10. It also cited a 36% lift in campaign results from more precise audience targeting, with Special K named as the example.

Governance and partners. The panel identified responsible governance as a core organizational requirement for AI adoption. For outside relationships, it set another standard: partnerships should prioritize “long-term business outcomes” over “technology for its own sake.”

Danetz leads Cognitiv, a deep learning advertising platform that helps brands predict consumer behavior and deliver more relevant advertising. Before Cognitiv, he held senior global leadership roles at Thomson Reuters, AccuWeather, Time Inc., IAC, CBS and Ziff Davis.

His biography also lists experience scaling businesses, driving revenue growth, leading large teams and managing M&A. He serves as an active investor, board member and adviser to organizations across technology and media.

Vinson leads the transformation of Mars’ global marketing agency ecosystem. She has more than 20 years of experience in digital marketing, media and strategic marketing management. Previously, she led Kellanova’s Global Marketing Excellence Center of Excellence and its global digital marketing transformation.

Her stated focus is using data, technology and AI to build more effective marketing strategies, strengthen consumer engagement and accelerate brand growth.

For marketing teams, the panel’s sequence is concrete: strengthen the data, test the use case, scale what the pilot supports and establish governance alongside adoption. The benchmarks—a 36% campaign lift and creative analytics under 10 hours—give brand leaders concrete measures for deciding whether an AI project deserves broader investment.