Ogilvy One, the Customer Experience, Marketing, Data and AI agency within Ogilvy marks a renewed focus on data-driven marketing strategies. The company has reintroduced its methodology under the framework of relationship design, a concept based on understanding the intricate dynamics between brands and consumers.
At Adobe Summit, I sat down with Ravi Pal, Global Chief Experience Officer at Ogilvy One, where he shared insights on the agency’s methodology, the role of AI, and the future of marketing. Here are my key takeaways:
Table of ContentsRelationship Design: A Holistic ApproachThe Importance of AssessmentOvercoming the “Human Hurdle”Building an AI Orchestration LayerLooking Ahead: The Future of AI in Marketing
Relationship Design: A Holistic Approach
At the core of Ogilvy One’s strategy is relationship design. This concept builds on four key dimensions: brand, business, customer, and technology. It recognizes that every customer engages with a brand uniquely, forming a personalized relationship. Relationship design ensures that this relationship is cultivated intentionally, ensuring brands articulate their ethos and purpose effectively.
Ogilvy One differentiates itself by focusing on meaningful engagement rather than merely orchestrating experiences in a market saturated with automation and AI. Relationship design acknowledges the importance of balancing personalization with authenticity.
Relationship design is not about orchestrating experiences in a mechanical way; it is about crafting a meaningful connection between brands and their audiences.
Ravi Pal, Global Chief Technology Officer at Ogilvy One
This methodology serves as a guiding principle for all problem-solving efforts within Ogilvy One, ensuring that every interaction aligns with the overarching brand strategy.
The Importance of Assessment
A crucial step in implementing AI-driven solutions is thoroughly assessing an organization’s processes, data, and roles. Ogilvy One emphasizes that brands cannot simply plug in AI tools without understanding their internal landscape. This assessment identifies readiness gaps and ensures that AI integration aligns with business objectives.
AI is not just another tool; it’s a transformative force that cuts across the entire organizational stack. Companies must reassess their processes and roles to ensure AI can act as a force multiplier in how brands connect with their customers.
Ravi Pal, Global Chief Technology Officer at Ogilvy One
Ogilvy One employs a structured assessment framework, including surveys and qualitative analysis, to evaluate key aspects such as data preparedness, governance, and organizational readiness. This allows brands to develop a roadmap that aligns AI adoption with their business goals.
Overcoming the “Human Hurdle”
The implementation of AI is not just a technical challenge; it is also a cultural one. Many employees fear AI will replace them rather than enhance their roles. Ogilvy One stresses the importance of education and transparent communication in overcoming this hurdle. Organizations must focus on upskilling employees and demonstrating how AI can augment human creativity and efficiency.
Fear of AI often stems from a lack of understanding and a perceived threat to jobs. The key is to demonstrate how AI can augment human capabilities, freeing up teams to focus on higher-value strategic and creative work. This requires a commitment to education, upskilling, and transparent communication.
Ravi Pal, Global Chief Technology Officer at Ogilvy One
By aligning AI strategies with workforce goals, companies can ensure that employees feel empowered rather than threatened by technological advancements.
Building an AI Orchestration Layer
One of the most critical aspects of AI implementation is ensuring safe and effective orchestration. Rather than integrating AI tools haphazardly, Ogilvy One advocates for developing an AI orchestration layer—a structured system that governs AI interactions and data flows across the organization.
Intentional AI orchestration: no longer optional, but essential. We’ve seen firsthand, building and deploying AI agents, that a structured framework is the only way to maintain control over your data, messaging, and customer relationships. As part of our own AI-first journey at Ogilvy One, we’ve developed orchestration frameworks for building and deploying AI applications in production. This practical experience informs our client work, ensuring we’re not just talking about best practices, but implementing them.
Ravi Pal, Global Chief Technology Officer at Ogilvy One
This orchestration layer ensures that AI applications interact seamlessly with internal data systems while maintaining privacy and compliance. It allows organizations to define AI governance, control access to sensitive data, and standardize decision-making processes across different AI applications.
Looking Ahead: The Future of AI in Marketing
As AI continues to evolve, its role in marketing will only become more pronounced. However, successful AI implementation requires a clear strategy, thoughtful integration, and a commitment to maintaining brand authenticity. Ogilvy One’s approach emphasizes that AI should serve as a tool to enhance human ingenuity rather than replace it.
The future of AI in marketing isn’t just about automation; it’s about creating a symbiotic relationship between human creativity and AI-powered insights. This leads to hyper-personalized experiences that feel genuinely human, ensuring brands are more efficient and more connected.
Ravi Pal, Global Chief Technology Officer at Ogilvy One
Ogilvy One is setting a standard for how brands can navigate the AI revolution while maintaining meaningful customer relationships by focusing on relationship design, thorough assessments, human alignment, and structured AI orchestration.
Ogilvy One AI Readiness Assessment
©2025 DK New Media, LLC, All rights reserved | DisclosureOriginally Published on Martech Zone: Relationship Design in the Age of AI: Ogilvy One’s Pragmatic Approach for Navigating AI without fear