’Hello $FirstName’ - marketing experts discussing the topic of personalization

Why Shark Attacks Won’t Sell More Ice Cream – And Other Data Pitfalls with Senior Data Scientist Ola Lindeberg ex Telia, Ivbar, Swedish Armed Forces

🐟🍦 If we just increase the number of shark attacks, we’ll sell more ice cream! Sounds ridiculous, right? Yet, many businesses unknowingly fall into similar data traps when working with predictive analytics. While the two graphs might correlate - one is not causing the other. Could the sun be at play as the common determining factor?
The shark anecdote is one many great anecdotes Ola Lindeberg shared in the latest episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast. Ola, an indeed very senior data scientist with experience from Telia Sweden, Ivbar, and Swedish Armed Forces, joined me to discuss the flawed assumptions businesses make when using predictive analytics—and why prescriptive analytics would often be better if you want to drive real behavioral change in personalization. (OMG also just remembered the anecdote with the genAI powered spoof caller trap!!! It’s towards the end of the episode!)
🔗 How This Ties Into the CX Layers
At the core of our conversation was the Data Layer in the CX Layers framework. While most personalization setups heavily rely on data-driven insights, many fall into the trap of using predictive analytics without considering how to act on those insights. In other words, they’re forecasting the weather instead of deciding what to do about it.
Ola’s perspective perfectly illustrates why the Data Layer isn’t just about insights—it’s about decisioning and action. And that’s where prescriptive analytics comes in: Instead of just predicting what a customer might do, it helps businesses determine what action should be taken to actually influence customer behavior.
🔍 Key Insights from the Episode:
📊 Predictive vs. Prescriptive Analytics: Why Knowing Isn’t Enough
Predictive Analytics tells you what is likely to happen (e.g., “This customer might churn”).
Prescriptive Analytics helps determine what action should be taken to influence the outcome (e.g., “This content or offer could actually prevent churn”).
Businesses often mistake correlation for causation—leading to wrong conclusions and poor personalization decisions.
🌦️ Why Wearing a Jacket Won’t Change the Weather (And Why Your Marketing Might Be Doing Just That)
Another great analogy from Ola: You check the weather, see it’s cold, and decide to wear a jacket. But that doesn’t change the weather - which might be what you’re actually after… figuratively speaking of course.
Many companies use predictive models the same way—reacting to insights without considering how to actually influence customer behavior.
⚡ The Booking.com Experiment: Why One Day in Paris Sells More Trips
Booking.com tested an AI-driven recommendation model to suggest trip lengths based on user behavior. When they suggested three days (which was indeed the most frequently bought option), it had no impact on conversions.
But when they suggested just one day, it triggered higher engagement and bookings, even though most people ultimately booked longer stays.
The takeaway? Sometimes, the best way to drive action isn’t the most "logical" data-driven assumption—but rather an approach that nudges customer behavior effectively.
🤖 The Role of Generative AI in Decisioning
Generative AI is already streamlining content production, but its impact on decisioning is still developing.
Ola sees potential but argues that businesses need to test and quantify the impact of AI-generated personalization efforts rather than assuming they will automatically improve engagement.
🚀 Final Takeaway: Stop Predicting—Start InfluencingIf you’re only using predictive analytics, you might just be forecasting the shark attacks of your industry—without knowing how to actually drive change. True personalization means using data to prescribe actions that influence customer behavior—by integrating content, context, and decisioning models in a much smarter way.
Follow Ola on LinkedIn here.
As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto.
The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here.
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...)
An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic).
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.
Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

Beyond Cute: How Personalized Video Content Is Revolutionizing CX - with Ronald Griffin, CEO and Founder of SEEN.io

In this special episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ronald Griffin, CEO and co-founder of SEEN.io—a trailblazer in personalized video content for marketing.
I first met Ronald at Dialogkonferansen 2024 in Sweden, where his powerful presentation on Generative AI and video creation left a lasting impression. He introduced the now-famous phrase: “That’s cute, but so what?”—a challenge to all marketers using AI to move beyond creating visually impressive content and focus on making it meaningful.
In this episode, we dive deep into how personalized video fits within the Content Layer of the CX Layers framework. Ronald shares how SEEN is helping brands like Norsk Rikstoto, Nespresso, and Carrefour deliver videos that not only grab attention but also drive real business outcomes like customer engagement and retention.
🔑 Key Insights from the Episode:
🎯 The Content Layer’s Power in PersonalizationWe explore how the Content Layer—especially through video—can elevate personalization strategies, creating more emotionally resonant and memorable customer experiences.
📊 Personalized Video That Delivers ResultsSEEN’s work with Rikstoto shows how incorporating personalized video into onboarding flows lifted 29-day repeat business by 37%—a clear sign that well-timed, data-driven video makes a difference.
🤖 Generative AI: Streamlining Video CreationRonald discusses how Generative AI is making it faster and easier for brands to produce, update, and repurpose video content without sacrificing brand guidelines or quality.
🚧 The Challenges of Personalized Video at ScaleFrom brand consistency to data privacy, Ronald shares the hurdles enterprises face in adopting AI-driven video solutions—and how SEEN is overcoming them with innovative tools and processes.
🚀 What’s Next for Personalized Video?Could creating a personalized video become as simple as sending a personalized email? Ronald believes that with the rise of AI-powered tools, video personalization at scale is closer than we think.
🎬 Why Personalized Video Should Be on Every Marketer’s Radar
Marketers have long focused on data for personalization—but the power of personalized video is often overlooked. As Ronald points out, video uniquely captures attention and emotion in a way static content simply can’t.
With Generative AI making personalized video more scalable and cost-effective, this content format is poised to become a game-changer for brands looking to stand out and foster deeper customer connections.
As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto.
The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here.
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...)
An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic).
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.
Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!
 

The CX Layers - how Data and Content feed into the Personalization Layer - Midway status by Rasmus Houlind

In this special episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, we’re doing things a little differently than normal. Having covered several episodes of season 2 and having discussed and presented the concept of the CX Layers that show how Personalization feeds from both the Data Layer AND the Content Layer, I thought it was time for a midway stop and introduce an update on the framework. This episode represents a key milestone, offering an in-depth look at how Content and Data work together to drive Personalization at scale.
NB: Since I'm sharing a graphical overview of the CX layers in this episode, it may well be worth watching on YouTube 🎥 
The Birth of the CX Layers
The CX Layers framework was born out of a growing need to understand how content and data intersect in a world of personalized marketing. The initial spark for this idea came from the work of Scott Brinker and my co-author Frans Riemersma and the growing understanding of how not only a Data Layer was needed in a MarTech stack, but evenly so a separate Content Layer should exist.
From the initial work on the Content Crisis Manifesto, I realized that of course this had a major impact on how marketers should think, build and ultimately scale Personalized customer experiences. Because once data was under control, marketers faced another challenge: namely content.
So, Frans Riemersma and I started investigating and discussing the Content Layer in greater detail. We realized how much sense it made to separate the Content from the Data Layer and envisioned an almost parallel process for getting content ready for activation and ultimately personalization. Ultimately our first draft made it into the Martech 2025 trend report that Scott and Frans presented to the world in December 2024.
Our perception is that for many marketers, this new way of thinking about content is a game-changer. Historically, marketers have struggled with how to apply data principles and data processes—such as data modeling, data activation, and data insights—to content. By separating the Content Layer from the data processes, it has allowed marketers to manage content in a more structured and scalable way, with the same rigor they apply to data. This alignment of content and data – along with the use of generative AI - will enable marketers to finally create the personalized experiences at scale that they’ve always been dreaming of.
Ok, so what are the CX Layers?
The CX Layers model breaks down the process from content and data collection to personalization and consists of three key layers:
Content Layer: This layer is where all content is created, managed, and optimized. It's not just brand-led content such as the master content assets and campaign content. It’s also not just product descriptions and blog posts. Because it’s also all the customer-led lifecycle content that is meant to drive customer actions—offers, messages, nudges, calls-to-action, and more. This layer is responsible for content collection, creation, modeling, and activation.
Data Layer: The Data Layer is where customer data is captured, enriched, and processed into actionable insights. This includes the use of CDPs (Customer Data Platforms) to create a unified view of the customer, helping marketers understand who their customers are, what they need, and when they need it.
Personalization Layer: This is where the magic happens—where the Content and Data Layers merge to deliver personalized experiences. By applying decisioning of the insights from the Data Layer to the content in the Content Layer such as Messages and Content feeds, brands can create personalized customer experiences that truly resonate across touchpoints and channels.
As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto.
The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here.
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...)
An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic).
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.
Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!
 

🚀 How Points Lead to Pathos - an interview with Zsuzsa Kecsmar about how Loyalty and Personalization Converge

In this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Zsuzsa Kecsmar, Chief Strategy Officer and co-founder of Antavo, one of the most powerful loyalty management platforms. Together, we unpacked how loyalty programs can act as the glue between content, data and personalization, and how they’re helping brands build emotional connections with their customers.
Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:
1️⃣ The Role of Loyalty Programs in the Content Layer:It’s clear that loyalty programs generate valuable transactional and preference data to the data layer, but they also contribute to the content layer by providing unique, loyalty-specific content – from tier communications to personalized reward messages. Zsuzsa shares how both the data and the content become the foundation for personalized experiences across channels.
2️⃣ Personalized Rewards = More Loyalty:Antavo’s research shows that loyalty members who redeem personalized rewards spend 4x more annually than those who don’t. And customization matters: 8 out of 10 consumers prefer brands that allow them to tailor their rewards to their preferences.
3️⃣ Gamification as a Data Goldmine:Gamified surveys and quizzes are a powerful way to collect zero-party data while keeping customers engaged. Zsuzsa highlights how these tools help brands quickly overcome the “cold start problem” in loyalty programs, making it easier to personalize communication early in the customer journey.
4️⃣ Transactional vs. Emotional Loyalty:While transactional loyalty (points and discounts) attracts customers, it’s emotional loyalty that keeps them coming back. Zsuzsa shares examples from brands like Adidas, which rewards fitness efforts, and Rip Curl, which connects rewards directly to surfing activities – building loyalty tied to lifestyle and identity.
💡 The Generative AI Connection: We also discussed how Generative AI is transforming loyalty programs by:
Localizing content faster and more efficiently.
Streamlining customer service to solve complex loyalty queries in seconds.
Creating unique, scalable loyalty program content that feels personal and timely.
🎧 Don’t miss this insightful episode where loyalty meets personalization!🎥 You can also watch this on YouTube
📥 Bonus: Download the just-released 2025 Antavo Global Loyalty Report for the latest loyalty trends and strategies.
As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto.
The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here.
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...)
An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic).
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.
Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

Is Flying Tiger Copenhagen Done with Translating Content? An interview with AI Manager, Rasmus Schlosser

In this episode of The Hello $Firstname Personalization Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Rasmus Schlosser, AI Manager at Flying Tiger Copenhagen. What really stood out was how Generative AI is solving a massive challenge they face. ✨
This episode is a little different – it doesn’t dwell much on personalization but instead explores the upstream phase of the Content Layer, where Master Content is gathered, created, and cleansed.
Flying Tiger Copenhagen handles thousands of SKUs, many with limited descriptions from suppliers. 🏷️ Crafting meaningful, localized product descriptions at scale is no small task. You need it not only for your customers but also for SEO purposes! That’s where Generative AI steps in, producing core content assets quickly, consistently, and with the right tone for each market. 🌍
💡 As Rasmus Schlosser puts it: "The question we need to ask ourselves is, are we done with translation? Is it time to start crafting content that speaks to each culture individually, with the help of Generative AI?"
This is a big leap forward in tackling the Content Crisis – the gap between having data and insights ready for personalization and actually creating the content to make it work at scale. 🤯
🎯 Tune in to learn: 1️⃣ How Flying Tiger uses Generative AI to create product descriptions at speed. 2️⃣ The challenges of working with incomplete product data. 3️⃣ How AI-driven content creation enables companies to scale without sacrificing quality – even for diverse cultural audiences (localization with GenAI!).
Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto.
The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here.
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...)
An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic).
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.
Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!
 

Retention, Personalization, and the Power of Emotions - a conversation with Tom Burrell

In this episode of The Hello $Firstname Personalization Podcast, Rasmus Houlind sits down with Tom Burrell, founder of Retention Coach, to explore how businesses can turn retention strategies into a powerful growth engine. Drawing on a career spanning roles at Manchester United, DAZN, and TalkTalk, Tom shares actionable insights into why retention is often undervalued—and how personalization can change the game.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:
How personalized onboarding journeys can boost retention by 10% or more
Why the "content crisis" in retention is holding businesses back—and how to overcome it
The role of GenAI in creating emotionally engaging, hyper-personalized customer experiences
💬 "Retention isn’t just about keeping customers; it’s about connecting with them emotionally, understanding their motivations, and inspiring loyalty," Tom explains.
Whether you’re in subscriptions, e-commerce, or CRM, this episode is packed with insights to help you rethink retention strategies for 2025 and beyond.
Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto.
The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here.
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...)
An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic).
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.
Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!
 

From Content Crisis to Customer Relevance - scaling Personalization with efficient Content Management

In this latest episode of Hello $Firstname Season 2, I sat down with Nicole France, Chief Evangelist at Contentful, to dig into how brands can truly make personalization work at scale—and the challenges they face in making it happen.
Personalization sounds like a simple concept, right? After all, we all know the importance of getting data sorted and leveraging customer insights in order to speak to our customers in a way that feels personal and relevant. But hey - what about ‘the right message’, I mean the content side of things? What good is the perfect audience if we have nothing relevant and engaging to say? And how do you scale that part of the solution? 
Nicole’s insights on content orchestration, headless CMS, and the interplay between data and personalization are invaluable for anyone serious about mastering scalable personalization. But here’s the kicker—some of the hidden gems from our conversation go far beyond what you’ll read here, so I highly recommend listening to the full episode for an even deeper dive into these topics.
The Real Challenge of Personalization at Scale
Nicole and I discussed one of the biggest pain points for marketers: scaling personalization. As marketers, we all know content is fragmented across various platforms, and reaching the right customer with the right message can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Nicole shared how headless CMS platforms like Contentful help manage content at scale and deliver it seamlessly across touchpoints, which is key to ensuring that personalization doesn't become just another buzzword.
The secret? Ensuring a seamless flow of content from the Content Layer to the Personalization Layer—because personalization can’t stand alone. It needs to be backed by solid data and the right content to truly resonate with customers.
Master Content vs. Execution Content: The Key to Actionable Personalization
Another fascinating point Nicole shared was the importance of distinguishing between master content and execution content. Master content serves as the foundation, but it’s the execution content—tailored, personalized content—that takes the interaction from static messaging to a dynamic, customer-centric experience. This is where the Personalization Layer truly comes into play.
AI’s Role in Scaling Personalization
We also touched on the exciting potential of Generative AI (GenAI) in content creation. Nicole discussed how GenAI can assist with everything from content creation to repurposing across channels—helping brands scale personalization without losing the human touch. But how does it all fit together? That’s where it gets really interesting, and you’ll want to hear Nicole’s thoughts on this in the podcast. Hint: It’s something about a rug…!
Building Emotional Connections through Personalization
At the core of everything Nicole and I discussed was the idea that personalization isn’t just about data and content—it’s about emotion. Personalization should make customers feel heard, understood, and valued. It’s about crafting messages that resonate emotionally, even if the message isn’t hyper-individualized.
For a deeper dive into these insights, listen to the full episode where Nicole and I explore how content and personalization work hand in hand to create scalable, meaningful customer experiences.
Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto.
The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here.
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...)
An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic).
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.
Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

Personalizing Content to make Pandora sparkle - The Hello $Firstname Podcast - S02E02

A Conversation with Julie Marie Hermann: Personalization at Pandora
In this episode of Hello $Firstname Season 2, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Julie Marie Hermann, Personalization and CX Manager at Pandora, the world’s largest jewelry brand by volume. With over 33,000 employees and a presence in more than 100 countries, Pandora is leading the way in scaling personalization.
Julie shared some insightful thoughts on the challenges and opportunities Pandora faces when it comes to delivering personalized customer experiences. Here are some key takeaways:
1. The Content Crisis: Navigating the Overflow
Julie talks about the overwhelming amount of content Pandora manages across markets and platforms. With so many products and customer segments, finding the right content for each touchpoint can feel like looking for a diamond in a sea of options. Julie explains how Pandora is working to streamline content delivery and ensure customers receive relevant, personalized messages.
2. Brand-Led vs. Customer-Led Content: Finding the Balance
Julie makes an important distinction between brand-led content (broad, brand- and campaign-driven messages) and customer-led content (personalized messaging that speaks directly to specific customer needs). The key is ensuring the right mix: not every communication needs to be personalized, but as the customer comes closer to a purchase decision, the content must resonate more and more with the individual and their needs.
3. GenAI: Personalization's Digital Assistant
Julie is particularly excited about how Generative AI can help Pandora scale personalization efforts. From automatically tagging content to adapting it for different channels, AI can enabling Pandora to work more efficiently and deliver highly relevant, personalized experiences for their customers.
4. Balancing Short-Term Wins with Long-Term Strategy
Julie offers valuable advice for marketers: balancing short-term tactical wins with long-term strategic goals. At Pandora, her team is focused on laying the foundation for sustainable personalization that delivers long-term value while still generating immediate results.
Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto.
The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here.
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...)
An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic).
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.
Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

Season 2 Premiere - Discussing the Content Crisis and the Content Layer with Frans Riemersma

The Content Crisis in Personalization and the Content Layer
In the season premiere of Hello $Firstname Season 2, I had the privilege of sitting down with my co-author, Frans Riemersma, founder of MartechTribe and a global thought leader in marketing technology.
Frans is working closely together with Scott Brinker on the MartechMap.com that most marketers are familiar with (hint: crazy map with an ever increasing list of vendors).
Together, we introduced the theme of this season: how to solve the content crisis for personalization.
The content crisis has become the key bottleneck for scaling personalization. In this episode, Frans sheds light on:
The Content Layer Vision: Much like the Data Layer revolutionized marketing, Frans predicts the emergence of a Content Layer, enabling seamless content flow from master files to personalized messages. Together - Frans and I - have been putting a lot of work into demystifying this layer and how it works.
GenAI’s Role: Generative AI isn't just a tool; it’s a game-changer for creativity, localization, and scalability. Frans introduces the idea of Brand LLMs—custom AI models trained on a company’s unique assets, values, and tone.
Personalization as Dialogue: Frans reframes personalization as a human-like conversation between a brand and its customers. Imagine talking directly to the essence of a brand’s founder—deeply personal and deeply effective.
Metrics That Matter: Personalization must drive real business value. Frans emphasizes ROI and innovative metrics like return on content to optimize marketing efforts.
We also explored how GenAI and the Content Pipeline can fix common pitfalls, like brands overselling (or over-personalizing!) irrelevant products.
Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here.
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here.
(or your local amazon...)
An abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

Chapter 22+23 - Season Finale of 'Hello $Firstname'

This is the last episode of this season of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast. It consists of an audio book chapter - well two actually - namely... 
CHAPTER 22: ACHIEVING ORGANIZATIONAL MATURITY FOR PERSONALIZATION - with the points:
The glass ceilings and how to break them
Breaking the glass ceiling between the Hack and Pack levels
Stabilize the performance of your core platforms
Transition your team of builders to a team of executors (Makers to Marketers)
Secure resources for both campaigns and marketing automation
Secure data quality and format for marketing automation
Switch from a project-based to a hybrid operating model
Change from a simple ESP to a real MAP
Breaking the glass ceiling between the Pack and Stack levels
Establish cross-functional teams
Centralize data and insights
Centralize production and orchestration of content
Realign your incentives and personalization accountability around customer-centricity
and
CHAPTER 23: CONCLUSION
Conclusion
About the authors
The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here.
(or your local amazon...)
An abstract of the book can be downloaded here.
All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.