Talon New Hires: Our First Month in the Product and Data Team

Talon’s Product and Data Team Reflects on First Month

Talon’s Product and Data team is an integral part of the business, delivering behavioural audience data that informs clients and campaigns through Ada, our OOH data management platform, and Atlas, our programmatic OOH platform.

After spending their first month in the team, we caught up with Junior Analysts Emily and Taran, as well as intern, Rowan, to find out what they have learnt so far.

EMILY HAILE, Junior Analyst:  

I’ve found the process of building audiences really interesting – gathering information not only from our in-house system Ada but also from open-source data published online and data purchased from our partner companies too. I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to think creatively about the best audience for each campaign and fine-tune this audience using a precise combination of data sources. 

I’ve found post-campaign analysis fascinating too and have enjoyed shaping a coherent story around why footfall data has shown specific trends for specific campaigns, as well as explaining trends seen due to CV-19 restrictions.  

What’s surprised me about my first month in Talon is probably true of anyone entering a new industry – I’m still amazed at the amount of work that goes into OOH advertising. OOH is so pervasive in everyday life but it’s something I never considered the work behind. Now, when I’m out and about and see OOH, I think about the very long journey each ad has taken to reach me and wonder if I fit the campaign’s targeted audience or not!  

The best thing I’ve learnt so far has been that nothing is prescriptive – despite having to think about the data rigorously, there’s also room for creatively developing the tools and processes we use. Everything is constantly being improved and it’s been exciting to see how rapidly changes are being made as we gear up for what promises to be a huge summer.

ROWAN PATEL, Intern:  

Working with the Product and Data team has been an extremely intriguing experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the process of data gathering and have loved working on projects for clients. 

I have been surprised by how much of an influence statistical data plays in modern-day advertising and have learnt more about the importance of data, whilst working on case studies. Of these case studies, working on the Doritos Max campaign was the most interesting as it demonstrated the impact that advertising can have on brand performance and brand image.

I have also enjoyed working alongside the planning teams to execute briefs for newer clients. These tasks have allowed me to understand the process of data gathering, as well as the influence of Nielson and Starcount. Working alongside the rest of the team has been amazing, as they have helped explain how Atlas and Plato function. In addition to this, they have been extremely welcoming and I have loved the morning catch ups.

Understanding how to find the appropriate data for our clients, has been the best thing I have learnt so far, and is a tool which I will use during the rest of my placement year.  

TARAN KOHLI, Junior Analyst:  

Working in Product and Data is already a fascinating experience. The way in which Talon uses data to create insights into consumer habits is simply put, quite amazing. 

From using mobile location data and data from companies such as Nielsen, we are able to accurately understand and build tailored audiences for purpose-built advertising. This has given me an insight into how much good advertising is actually worth to a company and I now understand why big brands spend so much on their advertising campaigns.  

Before joining the world of OOH I never would have guessed that it was so data-rich and advertisers would have the ability to target extremely specific clientele based on their mobile data. What’s more surprising than this is how much behind the scenes work goes on to make sure clients have the optimal frame at the right time to reach the right client. From the robust data collation and analysis to the planning and costing of the frames. 

Not to mention the work the marketing agencies do to create different effects on a consumer walking down the street. I always knew that OOH was there to drive sales, however, I didn’t think about how some advertisements are there to increase brand awareness rather than a short term goal such as driving customers to the store. Knowing that some brands are looking to influence consumer habits maybe months or even years after they have seen an OOH advertisement is mind-boggling.  

The most important thing that I have learnt since joining Product and Data is that every client has different mission statements therefore, the way we treat the data behind each project needs to be treated differently. We need to tailor our data analysis methods to create a tailored audience that will be most beneficial to the client. The more specific we get the more value can be seen in what we provide to these clients.