KIT Global pushes ‘minimum viable data’ for smarter marketing

In the age of ‘big data’ bloat, KIT Global’s CEO Olga Dulinskaya is flipping the script with ‘minimum viable data’ (MVD). Forget hoarding—Dulinskaya advises brands to focus on a few power signals like purchase intent, engagement recency, and product affinity to sharpen conversion, retention, and loyalty.

“It’s not about stacking tools, it’s about using smarter data,” she tells Campaign India. With 16 years across Nielsen, the UN, and startups like Mentalli, Dulinskaya is driving KIT Global’s growth in Southeast Asia and India. Her playbook? Build lean, revenue-focused data frameworks that make personalisation sharper and marketing spends accountable—especially in dynamic markets like India and Indonesia.

Here are edited excerpts of the interview:  

With KIT Global doubling down on markets like India, MENA, and Latin America, while pulling back in Western Europe, what structural differences make adoption of innovative marketing strategies more frictionless in the Global south? 

These emerging markets are experiencing rapid digital transformation because we operate with fewer legacy systems and regulatory barriers compared to Europe. India’s digital economy is projected to grow almost twice as fast as the overall economy, contributing to nearly one-fifth of national income, with 20% of Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2029-2030.

Our structural approach also differs across regions. In Europe, we are testing partnership-driven models, collaborating with local players to navigate complex regulatory frameworks and saturated markets. In contrast, in emerging regions, we focus on building our own teams on the ground to maintain speed, control, and cultural proximity, key advantages in high-growth environments where personalisation and local agility drive success.

How do you measure ROI differently across these regions?

It depends on market maturity and consumer behaviour. In India and similar high-growth markets, we prioritise metrics like rapid customer acquisition, campaign agility, and short-term conversion rates.

In contrast, in Western Europe, ROI is often evaluated through brand equity, customer retention, and lifetime value, reflecting a more established and competitive digital environment.

India’s digital economy is projected to contribute 20% of national income by FY30. Which sectors are best positioned to capitalise on this growth, and what’s still holding them back?

Based on recent trends, sectors like e-commerce, fintech, healthtech, edtech, and online travel are poised for growth. Rising smartphone penetration, with over 750 million users, and initiatives like the National Digital Health Mission for 1.3 billion citizens, are driving digital adoption. India’s e-commerce market is projected to reach $350 billion by 2030, fuelled by online shopping, digital payments, and a tech-savvy consumer base.

Fintech is rising globally, with India accounting for 46% of the world’s real-time digital payments in 2023. The digital healthcare market is expected to hit $37 billion by 2030, while edtech revenues are growing at a 25% CAGR. The online travel market is forecast to reach $125 million by FY27.

KIT Global helps companies in these sectors target and personalise engagement using AI and advanced analytics, map customer journeys, and improve loyalty. We also support SMBs with AI-powered marketing solutions to overcome budget constraints, digital expertise gaps, and data underutilisation.

With AI embedded into marketing workflows, how are your clients navigating the tension between adding new tools and creating disconnected systems?  

Many clients face challenges when adopting AI because they’re overwhelmed by fragmented tools that don’t communicate well with each other. That’s why we consistently advocate for unified platforms, like our own, designed to consolidate marketing functions while integrating locally relevant AI solutions.

Our platform helps brands overcome fragmentation, build trust with their customers, and deliver personalised, results-driven campaigns. Rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all solution, we adopted a hybrid model: combining automation with human support where needed. This was especially important during the early phases, as many businesses were hesitant to fully trust a platform-led model.

Does KIT Global have a framework to audit ‘AI readiness’ before implementation?

Through ongoing research and market listening, we’ve found that the future lies in a self-service platform enhanced by AI. We actively guide clients toward this shift by helping them use the platform’s built-in features to create a more hands-on, flexible, and tailored experience.

We’re still in the process of enhancing our AI capabilities further, with key updates and advanced functionalities scheduled for rollout in the fourth quarter of our financial year. These improvements are designed to support smarter decision-making, optimise performance, and empower marketers with intuitive, AI-driven insights.

Explainable AI (XAI) can be a competitive edge. In practice, what does transparency in AI-powered marketing look like—and how can marketers reduce both customer mistrust and regulatory risk in the age of black-box decisioning?

XAI is emerging as a competitive edge because “just trust us” no longer suffices. With 82% of companies using or exploring AI, customers, employees, and regulators demand clarity on how decisions are made. In marketing, transparency means making AI decision-making understandable to all stakeholders, reducing mistrust, detecting bias, and ensuring compliance.

I prioritise embedding explainability tools so marketers can trace AI outputs to inputs and decision logic. We use AI to streamline processes, not replace human decisions, supported by a dedicated team assisting early adopters. Businesses treating explainability as a legal and ethical need will be better prepared, building trust and reducing regulatory risk. The XAI market is projected to grow from $7.94 billion in 2024 to $30.26 billion by 2032.

Given that 82% of companies globally are now using AI, but most can’t explain its decisions, how is the role of creative strategy evolving in a world where outcomes are increasingly machine-influenced but human-judged?

Despite AI’s growing role, human creativity remains the essential differentiator. To break through the noise, marketers must combine machine efficiency with emotional intelligence and cultural insight. AI can help us work faster and smarter, but it can’t understand emotion, cultural context, or the subtleties of human behaviour.

We treat AI as a partner for us, but it’s not something that runs on its own. I’ve ensured that our AI integration is still backed by human involvement, ensuring the quality on all fronts. The goal is to help people be more creative, not to take their place.

We’ve built our platform to leverage AI to help businesses create meaningful and impactful interactions. As someone who leads a team that blends AI technology with creative and locally relevant approaches, I believe the most powerful marketing solutions are not only intelligent but also deeply human.

Is performance marketing the most resilient line item in a brand’s budget, even in slowdown cycles?

Across these regions, one thing is clear: the flexibility and measurability of performance marketing are critical, especially when budgets are under pressure. Marketers need faster, smarter ways to understand what works and adapt quickly. Performance marketing remains a core strategy. It delivers clear, ROI focused results and supports long-term brand growth in dynamic markets.

Additionally, we’ve made it a priority to centralise data across multiple channels and regions. Our platform gives clients real-time actionable insights, so marketers can optimize campaigns dynamically and maximize their ROI.

Given the dangers of ‘stacking tools’ in silos, what organisational or operational design changes should CMOs be making today to future-proof their martech architecture, especially in decentralised teams across markets?

Brands must prioritise integrated martech platforms that unify data and simplify workflows across decentralised teams. India’s martech sector is projected to reach $93.88 billion by 2030, growing at 25.6% annually from 2024, driven by AI-powered personalisation, analytics, and automation.

Fragmented tools slow teams, while integrated platforms enable data-driven insights across regions. Strong governance and standardised processes are essential, especially as digital adoption accelerates in Tier 2 and 3 cities, where voice search and vernacular content are rising. Governance ensures data privacy, interoperability, and faster campaigns.

With India’s digital ad market set to hit INR 59,200 crore ($7.1 billion) by 2025, we built our platform to facilitate cross-market collaboration, supporting over 500 million internet users. Brands need flexible, centralised systems to navigate regulations and evolving customer behaviours.

With localisation becoming non-negotiable in multicultural markets, what strategies have proven most effective in adapting global campaigns to Indian or Southeast Asian contexts, especially when it comes to avoiding cultural misfires and tokenism?

India’s digital economy is projected to contribute over 20% of GDP by 2026, with more than 900 million internet users by 2025, fuelled by rural growth and mobile adoption. We help brands navigate this shift with AI-powered marketing solutions.

In multicultural markets like India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, effective localisation requires cultural insights, local talent, iterative testing, and continuous learning—not just translation. Our platform is culturally localised across APAC, MENA, Europe, and Latin America, supported by local experts ensuring campaigns reflect cultural nuances and comply with regulations.

Understanding local language, culture, currency, and behaviour is key to building lasting audience connections. We offer intuitive, locally tailored AI solutions with hands-on support to help brands build trust and deliver personalised experiences. We are committed to data privacy, adhering to strict global standards and advanced encryption, as customer trust remains central to our AI solution development and delivery.

KIT Global has prioritised inclusive leadership and talent pipelines, especially for women in digital and tech. What systemic blockers do you see in the Indian agency ecosystem that still prevent women from rising to CXO roles, and how can clients play a part in accelerating change?

Though women’s workforce participation is rising, their numbers drop sharply at senior levels—a ‘leaky pipeline’ evident in India’s agency and corporate sectors. Of 663 million Indian women, about 450 million are of working age, yet only 1.6% of Fortune 500 India MDs and CEOs are women, rising to just 5% in emerging companies.

Mid-market firms fare slightly better with 36.5% women in senior management roles in 2025. Gender prejudice, limited leadership development, and work-life balance issues persist. Progress is visible, but clients must demand transparent promotions, equitable evaluations, flexible work, and family support to accelerate change.