In today’s digital landscape, content without purpose is just noise. Real impact comes from aligning creativity with data, insight, and measurable outcomes. In this Q&A, Chris Crammond, Managing Partner at Deepend, explains how content becomes a driver of growth - not just activity. From building authentic, customer-led marketing in the age of AI to turning analytics into immediate action, Chris shares why the best strategies aren’t about producing more - they’re about producing smarter, data-driven work that connects with people and delivers lasting business results.

1. How do you ensure content strategies create measurable impact rather than just adding to the noise?

Impact comes from clarity of purpose. At Deepend, we always start with the audience, the problem we are addressing, and the outcome the business wants. For example, with Westfund (a regional health insurer), content was designed around preventative health challenges specific to regional members. By grounding content in those real needs, the Westfund+ app launch achieved strong engagement from day one, because every message was relevant and measurable against health outcomes. Without that discipline, content becomes noise. With it, every piece is purposeful and contributes to business impact.

2. What role does data play in shaping more effective and accountable marketing decisions?

Data is the compass of modern marketing. It tells us what resonates, where audiences drop off, and what drives conversion. With Teachers Health, for instance, analytics highlighted where members were abandoning journeys online. By retagging, refining UX flows, and aligning content to those moments, we were able to nurture leads more effectively and drive measurable acquisition uplift. The lesson: when you let data guide content and campaigns, marketing shifts from a cost centre into a driver of business growth.

3. With AI changing how content is created, how can businesses keep their marketing authentic and customer-led?

AI can generate speed and scale, but not trust. Authenticity still comes from grounding content in customer insight and brand purpose. With Bedsmade, a luxury bedding start-up, AI tools helped us accelerate content testing and optimise product descriptions for SEO. But the authentic story came from customer insight: understanding what mattered to buyers when choosing premium homewares. By blending automation with human creativity and customer focus, we lifted conversions while maintaining a brand voice that felt real and aligned to audience expectations.

4. Can you share an example where analytics or AI insights directly shifted a client’s performance or approach?

For Westfund, again, analytics revealed that members needed clearer signposting to preventative care services. By adjusting content strategy and in-app messaging, engagement rose significantly, with members more actively using features designed to improve long-term wellbeing. In another example, AI-driven analysis for a retail client uncovered unexpected search patterns. Adjusting content and navigation to match these behaviours lifted both engagement and sales. These cases prove that whether the insight comes from analytics or AI, its real value lies in how quickly it is turned into action.

5. What’s the biggest mistake organisations make when investing in content or campaigns?

The most common mistake is chasing volume over value. Many organisations fill content calendars or launch one-off campaigns without thinking about long-term relevance. For St Vincent’s Hospital Network, we avoided this trap by designing consistent, easy-to-use digital experiences that connected communications across multiple hospitals. This was not about publishing more, but about publishing better content and digital touchpoints that were reliable, accessible, and built around patient and staff needs. The result was a more cohesive brand voice, higher engagement, and content that delivered lasting value.