Your cost per lead is looking good, but your lead value? Tanking. And your customer acquisition costs just keep climbing.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
This week on TechTalk by Ciente, hosted by Suruchi Bhargava, CMO at Ciente, we’re unpacking what separates marketing that moves the needle from marketing that just moves budget around. Our guest is Justin Ong, Regional Connected Commerce Director at Ogilvy, who’s building omni-channel experiences that actually work.
Here’s what we’re breaking down: the friction points in your buying journey you’re probably missing. Why lead volume can be misleading- a vanity metric that doesn’t drive real growth. How incrementality is the real reflection of marketing’s value. And which outcomes to outsource to AI versus keep in human hands, because for monotonous, routine tasks that eat up your employees’ time, AI makes sense. But the intricate stuff? That stays human.
We discuss earned-first creativity, cohort analysis, critical touchpoints where customers engage or drop off, and why modern marketing requires both demand and brand as pillars for long-term growth.
Let’s get into it.
Justin Ong
Commerce Director, Ogilvy One, Ogilvy
Justin joined Ogilvy in January 2022 as Commerce Director for Ogilvy One, where he leads initiatives that advance data-led commerce and digital transformation across the region. With over a decade of experience in digital innovation, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of e-commerce ecosystems and driving technology-enabled business growth.
His journey began at Lazada in 2016, where he focused on transforming merchants’ understanding of e-commerce through education. He founded Lazada University, a cornerstone programme that equips merchants with structured learning frameworks and access to digital capability development. Under his leadership, Lazada University expanded rapidly through the launch of a Learning Management System and collaborations with both public and private sector partners. As Campaign PMO, he also spearheaded flagship campaigns such as 11.11 and 12.12. In 2020, Justin joined a multi-asset brokerage platform in Malaysia, where he focused on enhancing client experience and embedding it into commercial strategies.
“I believe deeply in the potential of digital advancements. Being at the forefront of data and technology at Ogilvy One, I am driven to push boundaries and challenge the impossible at every opportunity.”
In addition to his role at Ogilvy, Justin is pursuing an MBA at Imperial College Business School, with an expected graduation in December 2026. A devoted father since 2024, he draws inspiration from his family and believes that discipline and purpose are the foundations of excellence in both work and life.
