CXBuzz Interview with Omri Argaman CMO at Zoomd

Hi Omri, tell us about yourself and share some background about Zoomd (how you ended up joining the company).

Omri: I’m 41. From Israel. Been in the mobile industry for 16 years and in the digital industry for more than 20. I started my career at Microsoft, worked there for 6 years. The last role was managing the Mid-Market + penetration and launch of Microsoft’s CRM. In 2007 founded one of the first globally mobile marketing agencies: Moblin, before the iPhone! A long time ago. Moblin was also a mobile marketing agency, but in around 2012, we started building our product for UA on mobile. I used it internally only and used it to grow. In 2017 sold the agency to WPP. Acquired Zoomd and merged it with Moblin. Zoomd had a product aimed at publishers, offering them a Site search solution for giving their users the ability to search on their site. In begging of 2018, we re-branded the company and “killed” Moblin. Rebranded only as Zoomd with 1 platform and 2 products:

For publishers: search engine for their website. www.venturebeat.com: go search

For advertisers: Fully automated, AI-based User Acquisition platform integrated into more than 600 media sources, giving you the ability to manage your UA from all sources under one screen. Social, Ad networks, DSP’s Search, Mobile operators, device manufacturers. All are part of integrated partners to the Zoomd platform.

At the end of 2019, took the company public in the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSXv). With the ZOMD ticker. Benn public since.

Zoomd is a global company, offices in 7 countries: Israel, Canada, Bulgaria, Singapore, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico

eCommerce was booming in 2020; how did it affect Zoomd? – What are you going to focus on this year?

WOW, it sure did affect us. Today around 40% of our clients and revenues are from e com and shopping advertisers. 2020 made us grow around 30% with eCommerce activity with our clients.

The evolution of the marketing technology industry

How much has the Martech industry evolved in the last 2-3 years with the arrival of automation, customer experience, and enterprise apps?

It sure evolved, but we are only at the beginning of this. Automation is going to change our lives, as campaign managers, as people, as the world. Everyone understand experience is the most important thing in customer-facing companies.

Tell us about the CMO’s role in a pandemic crisis – what role digital transformation has in this crisis?

Depending on what type of company you are. A lot of companies jumped in to digital because of Covid. They had no other choice and chance to stay “alive” if they don’t. The CMO was required to both draw the new path and build the plan to act there.

How is Zoomd changing the Martech landscape?

In a lot of ways. Mainly in generating clarity and transparency for our clients. This has been the digital advertising trend for the last year, and we are all in it. Giving our advertisers the ability to know the media cost., know the sources of media and move to a license-based model. Regardless of media spend. Killing the interest agencies and tech platforms have in the monthly budget as the more you spend, the more they make. Not in Zoomd’s case. one monthly license p[rice with our newly launched SaaS platform.

What makes Zoomd different from your competitors?

We are different in 3 main points:

The concept: We see our self’s as a layer on the industry. Integrated to 90% of global media. Our solution acts as a layer on all of the industry. Managing and automating your UIA process in all channels.
Our publishers’ product: the search engine, data is ours. We use it to target fo better our advertisers UA.
With our newly launched SaaS version: we offer a monthly payment. No more % from media budgets, more clarity, full transparency

Do you think working from home is good or bad for employee experience? How is Zoomd planning it’s office strategy in Post covid19 days?

Hmmm… it’s good and bad. Employees need the office, need to disconnect from home. I need to see colleagues. But employees also need more family time. More time at home. So I would say the combination is the secret. Both. We will cut some office space but not too much. I can’t wait to get back to the office and see people I love in the hallway

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