Merkle launches AI-powered Google Technology Practice

Dentsu-owned customer experience management (CXM) company Merkle is announcing the launch of a practice that will combine Google’s suite of services into one AI-powered offering.

Aiming to connect brands with “extended analytics and data capabilities” to drive strong performance on Google platforms, the practice will be led by El Kanagavel, managing director of performance technology at Dentsu UK, and Neil Collins, head of experience analytics and adtech at Merkle.

Merkle cited a “pressing need” for seamless integration of the Google ecosystem’s capabilities in areas such as digital analytics, adtech, data engineering and data strategy. It said the practice will satisfy marketers’ demands for customer experience solutions and privacy-centric measurement.

Merkle will also be launching Accelerator–a technology built natively into the Google environment. Using AI, the programme will automate the deployment of Google’s solution suite–including Google Analytics, Google Marketing Platform and Google Cloud Platform–to help marketers save on time and cost.

Collins said: “Data engineering capability and customer service management is now at the forefront of marketing. Merkle and Dentsu’s leading first-party data capability means we can add huge value to clients in terms of verification and optimisation of data channelled through Google’s technology stack, as well as helping brands keep pace with the emerging opportunities the Google platform is creating.” 

According to Merkle, the practice will be the “UK’s largest” of its kind–sitting within a broader data, analytics and martech department that is 800-strong in total.

The launch also follows Dentsu’s recently announced partnership with Google Cloud, which will see the two companies continue to help brands connect with customers using generative AI technologies.

Kanagavel added: “It is incredibly exciting to launch the new Google Technology Practice in Merkle, connecting our clients to a market leading ecosystem of data, technology and customer experience capabilities. Our newly integrated team is a natural step forward as we seek to offer marketers the strongest performance on Google’s tech stack.”