From Mainframes to AI: Why Geodemography Keeps Winning (ft. Jan Kestle, Environics Analytics)

In this episode of Consumer Code, Lyden Foust sits down with Jan Kestle, president of Environics Analytics and a pioneer in geodemographics. Jan unpacks how “location, location—birds of a feather flock together” evolved into sophisticated segmentation systems that integrate demographics, behavior, and social values. She explains the history and evolution of geodemographic tools, how Environics’ platforms support privacy-first data collaboration, and the role AI plays in making analytics more powerful and more accountable. Along the way, Jan shares why women in STEM is a critical cause for her and how she stays grounded in a purpose-driven approach to data.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction to Geodemographics and Environics Analytics(03:05) Jan Kestle’s Early Career and the Birth of Geodemographics(05:57) The Evolution of Geodemographic Tools and Technologies(08:42) The Intersection of Geodemographics and CRM(11:26) The Role of AI in Modern Geodemographics(13:56) Combining Geodemographics with Social Values(16:35) Challenges and Opportunities in the Geodemographic Landscape(19:20) The Future of Geodemographics and Data Integration(34:08) The Roots of Social Purpose in Data(35:42) Collaboration Across Silos: The Key to Success(39:09) Building a Resilient Business Model(43:54) Developing Talent for Data-Driven Success(50:52) Innovations in Geodemographics and Data CollaborationLearn more about Jan Kestle:➤ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jankestle/Resources mentioned:➤ Environics Analytics: https://environicsanalytics.com/➤ Envision Platform: https://environicsanalytics.com/envision➤ LiveRamp: https://liveramp.com/Listen to Consumer Code on:➤ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4JC25NQkp67rVuYpyuf9xz➤ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/consumer-code/id1772758327➤ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxwr-W_NFC9Du0e3BpCpErLdW9Db4XsFAFollow Lyden Foust on:➤ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydenfoust/➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydenfoust/About Spatial.ai:Spatial.ai’s PersonaLive is an advanced consumer segmentation platform for developing data-driven marketing strategies. PersonaLive categorizes U.S. households into 17 groups and 80 segments using consumer behavior data from transactions, mobile visits, and social media activity, providing marketers with deep insights for effective audience targeting. From mid-sized retailers and agencies to Fortune 500 companies, hundreds of businesses use PersonaLive to drive strategic decisions and enhance marketing performance.Learn more or schedule a free 30-minute demo at https://www.spatial.ai