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The Pursuit of a Holistic View of Consumers

The Pursuit of a Holistic View of Consumers
The Pursuit of a Holistic View of Consumers
The Pursuit of a Holistic View of Consumers

A single consumer ID is often referred to as the “holy grail” of digital marketing, and for a good reason: everything hinges on identity. From determining which individuals to message, to enabling delivery, and ultimately attribution, if marketers are unable to identify their most valuable consumers—and to do so accurately over time—then the rest of their efforts will undoubtedly suffer. Organizations that understand customers the best will win out.

If there was ever any doubt that this pursuit of a single consumer ID is really happening, you need look no further than the activity that has taken place over the last year. In April, the Data & Marketing Association (DMA) Cross-Device Identity Council (of which I am a member) released its updated cross-device Request for Information (RFI) template to help guide members along the process of selecting the partner who best met their cross-device ID needs. Then, in May, a number of companies joined forces to tackle the massive undertaking of identity.

Still, more education is needed.

Attaining a single view of consumers can be difficult, especially when there is a lack of alignment between digital media buyers and sellers. Too often, they are not speaking the same language or taking the same key points into consideration. That’s why the IAB Mobile Committee, which I am a co-chair of, prepared a list of key questions for marketers who are evaluating a potential partner’s ability to deliver on identity. “Five Key Questions Marketers Should Ask When Evaluating Identity Providers” provides a set of considerations for all marketers, regardless of their level of sophistication in digital marketing.

By establishing a common framework from which everyone involved in the buying and selling process can work, it is our hope that we all begin to speak the same language around identity. Not only that, but brands will finally be able to deliver relevant and personalized messaging that their consumers not only expect, but that will also drive sales.

The questions prepared by the IAB Mobile Committee can be downloaded as a PDF for handy reference:

Five Questions to Evaluate Your Customer Identity Providers

Authors

Author
Kurt Hawks