Data Warehousing x3 - Transformation at MediaPrint

After completing our Data Audits for MediaPrint It was clear to everyone involved: In order to strengthen competitiveness in the digitized media landscape, a fundamental modernization of the data infrastructure is required. The architectural challenges identified in the audit, such as data silos, lack of scalability and limited access to data, formed the starting point for our implementation project.

The existing data landscape at MediaPrint was characterized by structures that had developed over time. A large part of the reporting was based on manual processes, which were not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. For example, performance data from the digital sector had to be laboriously linked to Excel spreadsheets in order to obtain a reasonably complete picture of user and subscriber behavior. The daily manual preparation of these reports took up considerable resources and prevented in-depth analyses, which would be essential for strategic decisions.

This was compounded by the fact that MediaPrint, with its well-known brands such as Krone and Kurier, operates in a sensitive environment under antitrust law. The merging and use of data therefore had to be strictly regulated in order to comply with legal requirements. Aspects of data protection law also played a central role, particularly with regard to the processing of personal data from subscribers and digital users.

In close coordination with stakeholders from IT, editorial, marketing and sales, we developed a tailor-made solution that meets the technical requirements and at the same time takes into account the legal framework. The core is a modern data stack, which is based on BigQuery as a data warehouse, Dataform for data modeling and Airflow as a scheduling tool. These technologies were selected for their scalability, flexibility and ease of use and met the architectural objectives we proposed in the audit.

‍

‍

Compliance with antitrust and data protection regulations was a particular challenge. To ensure this, we implemented not only a central data warehouse, but three separate instances — one for each part of the organization. This architecture makes it possible to strictly separate sensitive data from the various newspaper brands and to use or forward only certain, aggregated information for comprehensive analyses. This was accompanied by the establishment of clear access control so that data is not unlawfully made available to other parts of the organization.

‍

To activate the new data infrastructure, we implemented three prioritized use cases that create direct added value for various areas of the company:

• ‍The editorial dashboard offers analysts in the editorial sector a comprehensive overview of the performance of their digital content for the first time. By integrating various data sources, analysts can now decide based on data which content is particularly popular with readers and generates revenue. What previously required cumbersome manual work steps is now available much more efficiently — an improvement that gives analysts more time for more in-depth questions.

• ‍The customer golden record combines customer data from various sources — in particular from the online and offline world. This more comprehensive view of the customer enables sales to make more informed decisions and strengthen customer loyalty. These findings are particularly valuable in view of the increasing digitization of the business model.

• ‍The Advertising Monetization Dashboard gives the marketing team a better overview of the performance of various advertising channels. By integrating various data sources, campaign performance and sales development can now be analyzed centrally. This helps the team make well-founded campaign management decisions with less manual effort.

A key success factor during implementation was our agile, use-case-driven approach, which enabled us to deliver initial results quickly and continuously obtain feedback from stakeholders. Through knowledge transfer and close exchange with MediaPrint's internal data team, we were also able to ensure that the new infrastructure can also be developed and operated independently in the future.

The impact of the project on day-to-day business was clearly noticeable: In the editorial area, manual reporting costs were significantly reduced, while data timeliness was improved at the same time. In sales, the improved customer view led to a better basis for decisions regarding offers between the print and digital sectors. And in the advertising sector, the new data transparency made it possible to manage campaigns more thoroughly.

In addition to the immediate business benefits, the project has initiated an important cultural change at MediaPrint, Krone and Kurier. Data-based decision-making has been more firmly established in the relevant areas of the company, and cooperation between the various departments has improved massively. This cultural transformation is just as important as technical modernization, as it forms the basis for the company's long-term digital competitiveness.