Christine Russo in Conversation with Michael Della Penna, InMarket CSO: Why Customer Data and Intent Power Modern Marketing

Christine Russo, host of What Just Happened, sat with Michael Della Penna, Chief Strategy Officer at InMarket, to unpack the evolution of consumer behavior and what it means for modern marketers.

Della Penna described how consumer intent has shifted from pandemic-driven convenience shopping to today’s fragmented, value-seeking behaviors driven by inflation and economic uncertainty. Consumers are more willing than ever to switch stores to chase savings even if they remain loyal to brands.

He outlined InMarket’s approach to understanding these shifts using three core data streams: shopping list intent data from owned apps and surveys, real-time location data from 200 million devices, and transaction data totaling over $2.5 trillion in credit card and receipt-level purchases. Combined, these create a near real-time “oracle” of consumer behavior, enabling brands to adapt rapidly to changing preferences and shopping patterns.

Della Penna emphasized that marketers shouldn’t default to price cuts. Instead, understanding the nuances behind consumer decisions like brand loyalty, quality, and value. This is key to messaging that converts. He discussed how consumers are buying premium products like coffee in bulk from dollar stores or warehouse clubs, showing that loyalty remains strong but shopping methods are changing.

He also explained how InMarket supports modern marketers with a unified measurement approach that combines media mix modeling and campaign-level analytics. This gives both CMOs and campaign managers the ability to optimize in real time. Innovations like guaranteed incremental return on ad spend (iROAS) and tools like CPG sales lift offer clear accountability, helping marketers do more with less and justify budgets through measurable performance.

In closing, Della Penna described the company’s “Moments” product as an example of delivering real-time, in-store engagement that enhances both performance and consumer experience. Whether alerting a shopper to a sale or a new product, it's about meeting people exactly where they are both physically and contextually.