Synthetic Data: Busting Myths Beyond the Hype

Why does synthetic data matter for brands?

At Kantar we know that Brands grow by being meaningfully different to more people. This is where synthetic data can help. Marketers can use synthetic data capabilities to understand more people, to make informed decisions and to explore new scenarios with confidence. Synthetic data can help brands win the micro-battles to predispose more people, be more present and find new space in a fragmented, personalised world.

Myths and realities

There are still a lot of misconceptions about what synthetic data can and can’t deliver.

Myth 1: Synthetic data does not need human data for training
In reality, synthetic data must be grounded in real-world human data to be relevant and accurate. It requires both historical (time series) and fresh sample data to reflect real-world complexities and ensure decision-making relevance.

Myth 2: Synthetic data can answer any question autonomously
While digital twins and synthetic models can extend insights, they are limited by the scope of the original data. They cannot independently generate answers to entirely new or unrelated questions without foundational data.

Myth 3: Synthetic data is inherently biased or inaccurate
When built on high-quality, fraud-free, and permissioned datasets, synthetic data can closely mirror real human responses and improve statistical power, especially in underrepresented groups.

So it's not simple: there are many details that are critical to success.

Curious for more after this short extract? Read our full articles on synthetic data.

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